‘New’ farmers fail to produce quality produce
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Resettled farmers who were allocated land on former commercially owned
floriculture farms in Matabeleland North have abandoned growing flowers
after failing to supply quality products to the international market.
14.09.1108:28am
by Zwanai Sithole Harare
Most former floriculture farms in the Umguza prime farming area have now
been turned into vegetable producing plots.
A visit to a former floriculture producer, Rockie Farm, last week revealed
that new farmers have stopped growing and exporting flowers to Europe due to
low response from foreign buyers.
“When we were allocated this farm in 2006, we inherited flowers which were
left by the former owner of the farm. The following year we tried to grow
the crop with the assistance of local Agritex officials. But customers
started to shun our crop claiming that the flowers were of poor quality,”
said Lucas Dhlomo, a new farmer.
He accused the rightful owner of the farm, Steve Mandel, of influencing
foreign buyers not to buy flowers from black farmers.
“We know that this snubbing of our crop is part of the sanctions which has
been imposed on the country by the West. Mandel used to freight lots of
flowers to Europe every week but because we are now black farmers they are
no longer interested in our crop,” claimed Dhlomo.
Another new farmer, Jealous Mandebvu, admitted that the new farmers were
facing challenges in growing the crop.
“I have tried to grow flowers on my plot but they developed some stains
(sic) and the output was of low quality. The poor appearance of the flowers
was not appealing to foreign buyers who are very particular about the crop,”
said Mandebvu.