The Sunday Mail
Word from the market
Lucius Phaleng
Popcorn is widely regarded as a high-value crop. It has been shown that the prices can be double or triple those of regular maize.
Popcorn is a source of fibre, protein, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins, and has a low fat and sodium content.
It is different from normal maize because of its popping gene that explodes into a flake when subjected to temperatures of between 170°C and 180°C.
In most cases, commercial hybrids expand 23 to 44 times their original volume during popping.
The use of superior popcorn varieties invariably combines good yield and high popping ability.
Sadly, Zimbabwe currently imports 99 percent of the local popcorn consumption requirements.
One of the major purposes of this column is to provide important information to boost local production of different agricultural products.
This article is designed to provide requisite information on popcorn production which presents a niche market for farmers.
Import substitution remains one of the vital cogs in ensuring that the goals of the National Development Strategy 1 are realised.
There is no justification whatsoever for importing popcorn into Zimbabwe given the favourable climatic conditions that the country is endowed with.
Zimbabwe has ideal climatic conditions to produce a myriad of crops and livestock.
The popcorn crop is a unique crop that has a potential for revenue generation for the local farmers.
To have 99 percent of the popcorn on the local market imported from South Africa is against the Government’s thrust of agricultural transformation.
It is in essence quite retrogressive. This implies exportation of jobs to other countries and loss of foreign earnings that drive economic development and stability.
During a snap survey conducted by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), most of popcorn buyers indicated that quality was the number one consideration when buying the commodity.
“It is a key requirement that the popping percentage of the popcorn supplied by the farmers exceed 99 percent,” said Tatenda Nhira, a buyer from ProBrands.
AMA encourages farmers to pursue market-led production to guard against loss of income associated with post-harvest losses.
As the 2022 marketing season is progressing, farmers should start planning for the 2022/2023 production season and the popcorn crop is another enterprise to consider.
Statistics obtained by AMA from the Beitbridge Border post alone show that over 750 metric tonnes of popcorn have been imported into the country over the past six months.
The average import parity price for popcorn is USD$700,00 per metric tonne. Put simply there is a ready market for popcorn and local farmers must take heed of AMA’s call to venture into popcorn production.
Agronomic aspects
The popcorn crop, depending on agro-ecological zones, can be grown at least twice a year, presenting a good opportunity for the local farmers to earn extra revenue.
It has similar agronomic practices to those of maize although it is harvested when moisture levels have reached 14,5 percent as reckoned by Mr Ruponga from Mukushi Seeds.
Popcorn is however, not suited to high temperatures, prolonged drought or diseases and pests such as rust, maize streak virus hence it can also thrive under irrigation.
The average yield of the locally available certified seed variety is 6,5 metric tonnes per hectare.
Almost all supermarkets in Zimbabwe have popcorn stocks. The crop is also found on open markets. It is quite lucrative to produce popcorn.
The return per dollar invested ranges between US$1,00-$3,50 depending on the agronomic practices employed by the farmer.
Word from the market is a column produced by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) to promote market driven production of agricultural crops.
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