By Rudo Shoko

IN an effort to increase the much-needed foreign currency earnings in the country, Best Fruit Processors (BFP) recently invested US$10 million to set up a fruit processing plant in Esigodini.
The plant, expected to process at least
20 000 tonnes of fruits annually, will enable the country to reduce the importation of tomato paste and other fruit purees, while enhancing exports.
Best Fruit Processors is a joint venture between Beit Bridge Juicing (BBJ), a subsidiary of Schweppes Holdings Africa and the Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (ARDA).
Best Fruit Processors, Norton plant, opened in January 2016, processes raw fruit into pastes and purees.
Addressing journalists in Norton last week, BFP board chairperson, Nicholas Ncube said the plant to be set up in Esigodini would help the country generate the much-needed foreign currency as well as create employment.
“A total of 3 328 out-growers in Matabeleland provinces are expected to benefit from this project under the US$10 million new plant investment,” said Ncube.
“Significant progress has been made in stabilising the value chains at the Norton plant to enable the earnings to be applied on the Esigodini project.
“Preliminary work for the new processing plant, agronomy assessments and out-grower mobilisation has already been done.”
In an interview with Patriot Business, BFP general manager, Smart Zongololo said BFP’s aim is to improve domestic demand for tomato paste.
“The company is working with communities in Watyoka, Mhondoro, Hwedza, Honde Valley, Zvimba, Zaka and Chipinge to mobilise 3 000 tonnes of guavas, mangoes, oranges, lemons, naartjies and passion plantations to complement existing plantations,” Zongololo said.
“This year, BFP intends to contract even more farmers to grow feedstock to the capacity of 10 tonnes a day in an effort to contribute further economic benefits of value-addition and beneficiation.
“85 percent of tomato paste output was fully absorbed by local manufacturers due to its high quality compared to the imported paste.”
Zongololo said BFP hopes SADC will embrace its products.
“We are hoping the southern African region will consume our fruit products as Zimbabwe is only consuming a fraction of its 6 000 tonnes annual output,” said Zongololo.
Although the firm’s target is 20 000 tonnes of raw fruit annually, the Norton plant has the capacity to process
30 000 tonnes.
A number of farmers, ranging from irrigation schemes and small-scale to commercial farmers from Seke, Chinamora and Zvimba, are covered in the Norton out-grower scheme.
Last year, the company invested
US$3 million in a three-phased plant refurbishment programme of the Norton factory which increased processing capacity to 30 000 tonnes of raw fruit a year.
However, only 2 400 tonnes of tomatoes, guavas and mangoes were processed.
In previous years, most tomato paste used by regional and domestic manufacturers was imported from China.
Meanwhile the setting up of the Esigodini plant by BFP is expected to directly employ 100 people in addition to 3 000 contracted out-growers and many downstream industries, largely in Matabeleland South.
The fruit processing equipment from Italy’s Bertuzzi Company can be integrated in multi-fruit processing plants that allow for greater flexibility.
This means a heavy reliance on the farming community’s ability to invest in the production of the relevant fruit at a reasonable price and of the right quality.
However, there have been some agronomic challenges in securing raw materials of the right quality and quantity.
Most farmers used overheard sprinkler systems which were not ideal for tomato production and the tuta absoluta pest affected close to 100 hectares of the contracted tomatoes.
Tuta absoluta is a devastating pest which originated from South America.
It is considered a serious threat to tomato production, but can also affect potato and common beans.
Mass trapping and ‘lure and kill’ application of pheromone has been found to be effective in controlling tuta absoluta.
Best Fruit Processors is confident of their robust agronomy plan they are implementing this year.
The company is set to commence production of tomatoes in June this year because the current incessant rains are not ideal for tomato growing.
Farmers get a complete input support package from BFP which includes seedlings, chemicals, fertilisers and increased agronomy support services for improved success.
After touring BFP last week, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya pledged to support the project through financing from the RBZ and some local banks.
Said Mangudya: “This fits into the bank’s current mantra for productivity as the solution to the country’s economic challenges, including boosting export earnings and creating new jobs.”