Garlic production in Zimbabwe has increased by more than 600 percent this year as demand soars thanks to the pandemic. Turmeric Growers Association of Zimbabwe (GGTAZ) representative, Douglas Msipa said the country had yielded 200 tons of garlic the previous year.
Msipa said more farmers were embracing garlic farming, with the country expecting around 1,200 tons of the cash crop. "It's been a long journey. We have been moving around the country mobilizing farmers with ZIMTRADE. Initially, it was just a few of us who were interested in growing the crop. However, many farmers are now appreciating the crop as its demand is also increasing," he said.
Msipa said the demand for garlic shot up as people began to appreciate its medicinal value under the 19 pandemic. He said there was, however, shortage of the garlic seed in the county and the association has banned exports so as to improve the availability of the seed locally.
"There is still a challenge in that there is shortage of seeds so what we have done as an association is to ban the export of garlic. This will help improve the production of seeds so that we reach our target of around 25,000," he told herald.co.zw.
