T he Zimbabwe government has committed itself to growing flower exports to the European Union (EU) and other key markets – a once thriving business for the southern African country, according to the deputy minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Davis Marapira. “We as government have committed ourselves to re-engaging the European markets, seeking new markets and facilitating international partnerships for local producers,” he said, adding that financial support would be provided via a credit facility offered by the Agricultural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (Agribank) – a division of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Marapira said government would facilitate workshops for producers to interact with European buyers and to explore European markets. “We are in the process of developing policies that make the floriculture business viable.” He said producers needed to take responsibility to ensure their products complied with European standards. “There is need for horticulture and floriculture farmers to form associations and farmers’ clubs. We used to have those. Those farmers that have European facilities should sub-contract other farmers so that they support each other,” Marapira said. National trade development and promotion organisation ZimTrade said Zimbabwe had the “ideal natural conditions for the growing of cut flowers”, especially roses, proteas, asters and chrysanthemums. Historically, about 70% of Zimbabwe’s flower exports came from Banket, Concession, Glendale, Bindura, Harare, Goromonzi, Trelawney and Kwekwe, mostly growing roses. A spokesperson for ZimTrade said however that exports had been on the decline over the past 15 years as the previous government had introduced several measures, including export permits, which had curtailed the growth of exports. “And as exports decline, vital skills are lost. For exports to grow, there is a need for local flower growers to keep abreast of state-of-the-art production practices, as well as marketing techniques – which ZimTrade can assist with,” he said. According to the Export Flower Growers’ Association of Zimbabwe (EFGAZ), the country’s floriculture accounts for at least 70% of the total value of horticultural exports and 30% of the volume, which amounts to around 14 500 tonnes. Flowers are the pioneering product of Zimbabwe’s horticultural exports in Zimbabwe. By 2001, Zimbabwe ranked as the second largest cut flower exporter in Africa, behind Kenya, and was the fifth biggest exporter to the European Union, according to the EFGAZ website.
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We are in the process of developing policies that make the floriculture business viable. – Davis Marapira
