The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
LOCAL farmers, especially youth, should take a leaf from their Kenyan and Ugandan counterparts in focusing on export-oriented produce, a leading passion fruit expert has said.
Green Afrique Technologies CEO Mr Anglistone Sibanda said passion fruit farming has transformed the lives of many people in Kenya and Uganda.
“There are vast and very lucrative markets for passion fruit across the globe. Passion fruit has proved to be a lucrative enterprise that can create millionaires out of young farmers in Zimbabwe. Kenyans and Ugandans are doing it. We can do it here and we can even surpass those countries,” said Mr Sibanda.
Green Afrique Technologies is an agricultural, marketing and research firm that is playing a leading role in marketing and out-growing passion fruit in the country.
Mr Sibanda made the call ahead of training workshops for farmers who are interested in becoming passion fruit out-growers for the export market.
Two workshops will be held in Bulawayo and Harare on August 30 and August 31, respectively.
Passion fruit, better known as granadilla, is a highly nutritious tropical plant which traces its origins to South America.
It is a rich source of powerful antioxidants and has various health benefits.
Besides medicinal qualities, oil drawn from its seed can be used to produce oil for cosmetics, skin products and in the production of stockfeed.
Mr Sibanda said the workshops are a direct result of an overwhelming demand for information on passion fruit farming.
The trainings are an entry point into the project and designed to help farmers unpack the farming concept as well as give technical know-how to grow passion fruit in line with export quality standards.
ZimTrade, the national trade development and promotion organisation, recently indicated that granadilla has the potential to offer lucrative returns for local farmers.
Passion fruit farming can integrate smallholder farmers, young people and rural communities into export businesses.
