Thupeyo Muleya — During most summers in Zimbabwe, a conversation hardly passes without someone mentioning the hot temperatures around Beitbridge district, with maximum temperatures in summer frequently hitting 42 degree Celsius, hard on humans, but ideal when there is water for citrus.
In most cases, visitors to the area fail to cope with the heat and most would want to make their stay as short as possible.
However, for a citrus farmer, this is the ideal time to make real money from growing oranges and lemons.
Such weather conditions in Beitbridge have seen citrus farming shifting from the northern region around Mazowe to the southern region around Beitbridge.
According to recent farming experts' projections, the production of citrus has dropped from 10 000 hectares to above 5 000 hectares due to climate change and relayed economic dynamics.
As it stands, Beitbridge produces export quality oranges, grapefruit and lemons from nearly 3 000 hectares of land used by commercial, communal and irrigation farmers.
In general terms, citrus refers to a specific group of fruits that belong to the genus Citrus, which includes oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits and many other varieties.
Additionally, these fruits do well in subtropical climates with hot, humid summers and mild winters.
In essence, the Beitbridge weather conditions present a fertile ground for the production of large, sweet fruits with high juice quality.
For the past two decades, citrus production around Beitbridge had been a preserve for commercial farmers, but now ordinary villagers in corporations are now seeing the benefits.
Speaking in Parliament this week, Beitbridge East legislator Cde Albert Nguluvhe called for more support on irrigation development in Beitbridge, particularly in citrus production.
"Our environment is conducive to such projects, and there are already successful citrus initiatives in the district across Limpopo," said Cde Nguluvhe.
"In our constituency and other areas in agro-ecological regions 4 and 5, there is an urgent need for improved access to water and sanitation."
New farmers are emerging in the district, taking up opportunities in citrus production.
The latest entity to exploit citrus production is Toppick Investments, the proprietors of Zhovhe Farm, some 83km west of Beitbridge town. The company has so far planted 110 800 orange trees of Ben Valencia, Midnight and Teddy varieties on 400 hectares.
Land preparations are already underway on another 200 hectares and they are targeting to plant 277 000 oranges trees on at least 1 000 hectares by the end of this year.
To support the project, they constructed a 9km by 500mm pipeline to draw irrigation water from Zhovhe Dam.
Toppick Investment's chief executive Mr Danisa Moyo said: "Increased citrus farming in Beitbridge is a positive development, which presents opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and agricultural development."
He said before undertaking such projects, new citrus farmers should conduct a thorough market analysis to understand the demand for citrus fruits in the local and export markets.
"They need to identify potential buyers, their requirements, and the pricing dynamics. In addition, it is important for them to assess the suitability of the land in Beitbridge for citrus farming," said Mr Moyo.
"Analysing the soil conditions, water availability, and climate patterns ensure maximum production levels."
His company decided to venture into citrus production which has high returns on both the local and export market.
Elsewhere, at Shashe irrigation scheme, 120km south-west of the border town, 189 communal farmers are reaping the fruits of citrus farming that began in 2011.
The irrigation-driven citrus project is now producing an average of 700 tonnes of oranges per season to supply the Schweppes Holdings-run Beitbridge Juice Plant.
Oranges are being sold at the local juice factory at between US$0,15 and US$0,19 per kg.
Additionally, three schools in Ward 8, including Shashe Primary School and Shashe Secondary School Mopani primary are part of the project.
The schools have an average enrolment of 300 pupils.
The Government, through a development player, Cesvi stepped in to help with technical knowledge and capacity building for the plot holders who are now into serious citrus production and horticulture.
Cesvi Area coordinator for Beitbridge, Mr Munyaradzi Katemaudzanga, said recently that the initiative was funded by the European Commission and other partners.
It consisted of the supply of 22 500 young citrus trees.
"We installed irrigation infrastructure which consisted of three by 30 hectares centre pivots and one by 2, 5 hectare centre pivot, all under Citrus," he said.
"In addition to that, we drilled seven sand abstraction boreholes in the Shashe River and provided four booster pumps to increase the capacity to irrigate the project."
A farmer at the Shashe project, Ms Melita Ndou said she had managed to consistently take care of her three dependants from the money she gets from citrus farming.
She commended the government for mobilising resources through its partners to revamp the irrigation project.
"Our project is back on track again and we have learned a lot from working with many development partners including Cesvi and Nottingham Estate," she said.
Mrs Listeo Muleya said many plot-holders who had previously abandoned the project were now interested in farming.
She said some villagers started pulling out when they started to experience endemic operational challenges to do with power supply and irrigation water availability.
More people from around Beitbridge and surrounding districts, she said, were now having endless visits to Shashe to learn more about smart agriculture techniques.
A youth leader, Mr Gugu Khumalo, from Beitbridge Ward 7 said: "We have seen the increased production in citrus projects and our wish is to have a system that would help our youths to receive some form of support so that they may feel included in all local activities."
In Ward 11, a total of 112 plot holders at the Khwalu irrigation scheme have also started working on establishing a citrus farm on their 110 hectares' project.
They have 60ha under centre pivot which is divided into 34ha and 26ha.
Miss Remaketsi Mbedzi said it was exciting to see more women venturing into horticulture, especially in irrigation schemes where the growing of lemons and orange fruits is being done at a commercial scale.
Schweppes Zimbabwe Limited has since built the Beitbridge Juice plant with a capacity to process 40 000 tonnes of citrus products per season annually.
At the moment they are getting supplies of just above 25 000 tonnes per season and it is believed the numbers will increase as more farmers join in around Beitbridge.
The organisation is also at the initial stages of establishing a citrus greenfield that will be irrigated by water from the Zhovhe Dam, to increase the oranges feedstock for the Beitbridge Juice Plant.
"We have seen an increase in the global demand for citrus fruits, and in particular, oranges, lemons and limes. This has now filtered through to the domestic market," said Miss Ropafadzo Gwanetsa, Schweppes head of Corporate Affairs.
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"There is no doubt that Zimbabwe can benefit significantly through a sustainable expansion of orchards in Beitbridge. The opportunities for farmers are not only through trade of wholesome fruit, but juice concentrates where demand has doubled and in some instances tripled."
She said citrus orchard development was a long term investment that is capital intensive and that it was important for new farmers to ensure that they have adequate financing models and secured markets before they start.
Beitbridge senior traditional leader, Chief Tshitaudze said a unity of purpose between traditional leaders, the community, and development agencies had contributed to the area's citrus success story.
He said more jobs were being opened up in the sector for both special skills and general labour during land preparation and the harvesting seasons.
"It is pleasing to see that the standard of living for people in that area is gradually improving. In fact, things will never be the same again," said Chief Tshithaudze.
"We are here to provide a link and help the communities to contribute to development matters from the grassroots level. At the same time let's advocate for skills development from established farmers to the ordinary man and from generation to generation."
Beitbridge's director for agricultural development and advisory service, Mr Masauso Mawocha said citrus farming was gaining traction in the area.
He said more smallholder farmers had started planting citrus trees, mainly oranges, in their irrigated fields.
Mr Mawocha said they were providing the necessary capacity building in the district to ensure every citrus project becomes productive and economically viable.
