Zimbabwe's blueberry sub-sector is expanding, supported by export demand, a defined marketing window, and climatic conditions suited to production. Mashonaland East Province accounts for approximately 550 hectares under blueberries, with 16 farmers active in the crop.
Wiserow Enterprises in Marondera began blueberry production in 2017 and has expanded plantings from 12 hectares to 69 hectares. The company plans to establish an additional 16 hectares this year. Reported output has increased from 12 tons per hectare to at least 20 tons per hectare this season.
"Once planted, one can start production during the first year. The yield per hectare depends on the variety of crops grown. Some varieties have high yields in excess of 20 or 30 tons per hectare, while some varieties produce 12 to 14 tons per hectare. Currently, we are going to reap 69 hectares, and we are expanding our operations in April by 16 hectares with the potential of further expansion in the near future.
" We are targeting 20 tons per hectare this season. As a country, there is definitely room for expansion due to the growing demand. The market has been growing every year since 2018 by 11 per cent. As Zimbabwe, we have not been growing at that pace, so there is definitely room for expansion," said Wiserow Enterprises junior manager, Mr. Mark Swaneporl.
Government representatives say Zimbabwe benefits from an early supply window compared with Peru and Morocco, which enter the market later in the season.
"In terms of blueberry production, Zimbabwe is enjoying the market window that gives us the country both a comparative and competitive advantage. In terms of deliveries, we come in early, whereas most of the producers, like Peru and Morocco, come in late. We also enjoy the favourable climate that produces the best blueberries in terms of quality. In terms of production, Mashonaland East province is the leading producer, and we are doing around 550 hectares, and we have about 16 farmers who are doing a very good crop.
"In terms of growth potential, we have seen that our farmers are expanding operations. We are encouraging new farmers to come on board. We also encourage the financiers to come on board, as there is a lot of market in Asia and Europe. It is a lucrative sector, and there is so much potential. We are happy with the growth in terms of the yield levels from 13 tons to 22 tons per hectare," said Mashonaland East Acting Provincial Director for Agricultural Rural Development and Advisory Services, Mr. Calisto Masiiwa.
Within the province, Goromonzi leads production, followed by Marondera and Seke districts.
Source: ZBC News
