The Sunday Mail
Society Reporter
Despite the reopening of fresh produce markets countrywide last week to ensure uninterrupted supply for households that are presently in lockdown, horticultural producers have, however, continued to sing the blues owing to subdued demand.
Although vegetable markets were initially closed, they were subsequently reopened after being reclassified as providers of essential services.
But farmers are currently in a fix.
Ordinarily, producers wholesale their products to vendors, which means they push volumes in a short space of time.
Over the past two weeks, many cautious vendors have not been visiting marketplaces as movements were restricted.
A recent visit to one of the country’s largest fresh produce market, Mbare Musika, indicates that farmers are beginning to bear the brunt of slow trade volumes.
“We are suffering heavy losses since most of our customers, the majority of whom are vegetable vendors drawn mostly from high-density suburbs, are restricted from coming to the market.
“This essentially means instead of being wholesalers, we are now forced to act as retailers, which is time-consuming,” said a Domboshava-based farmer, Mr Shadreck Marume. Even most retail outlets, which used to purchase fresh produce, have since cut down on perishables.
Most, if not all, of the supermarkets are supposed to close at 3pm.
“In the past, I would get in and out of Harare in no time at all. But due to the prevailing situation, I am being forced to sleep over just to make sure I sell as much as possible of the perishable stuff. The middlemen made life easy for us,” said Mr Talkmore Muringa, a Murehwa farmer.
“I can only avert losses by frequently returning with orders, which is not possible at the moment. As I speak, I have a field of ripe tomatoes, some of which are now rotting. Besides, I have seedbeds that need my attention.”
Last week, some of the desperate farmers ended up selling their produce at give-away prices in nearby residential areas like Arcadia, Braeside, Cranborne and Sunningdale.
A box of tomatoes that was selling for more than $35 before the lockdown was by last week fetching $10.
“It is better to get a little something than to suffer an outright loss,” said Mr Taurai Musveta, who had moved his wares to Braeside shops.
Government, through relevant authorities, has since made assurances that it will do everything in its power to protect farmers by looking at the best possible way to address the challenge.
But some enterprising vendors are now using social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook to market their goods.
Meanwhile, Mbare Musika could be slowly coming back to life.
Some traders, who are not necessarily classified as essential service providers, are beginning to push the envelope.
Few porters could be seen loitering around the market last week scouting for opportunities that could present themselves.
Mr Apuruturi Sandi, the chairperson of the Mbare wholesale market, said measures should be put in place to safeguard the lives of both vendors and their customers.
“We are grateful that we have been allowed to trade. This is our only source of livelihood. However, there is need to look at such elements as social distancing and sanitation,” explained Mr Sandi.
