The Sunday News
The Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union has called upon horticulture farmers in Zimbabwe to adhere to the “LocalGap” and “GlobalGap” standards to restore lost market share internationally.“LocalGap” is the standards which the local markets require on horticulture products, while “GlobalGap” are the global standards which the international markets require on horticulture products.
These are internationally-recognised and used standards in the horticulture sectors.
Speaking during the horticulture competitiveness in local and international markets workshop today ZFU director Paul Zacharia said horticultural farmers are failing to meet the standards required by both local and international markets.
“The horticultural markets are being lost dramatically due to farmers who are failing to comply with the international and local laws of the markets,” he said.
Zacharia said adherence to quality standards can build trust between the farmers, traders and consumers and in turn help increase production on the farms.
The GlobalGap addresses food safety, environment, and traceability and workers welfare as fundamental issues which farmers must respect when doing farming business. “Zimbabwe has a number of trainers who are responsible for educating farmers to meet the required standards on both markets but reports from the trainers show that none of the farmers have approached them,” he said.
Indications from the global horticulture markets statistics show that Zimbabwe is currently producing a few products for the international market. In 1986 Zimbabwe would obtain around $100 000 through exporting flowers but that figure has now declined to around $20 000. At the same time products such as citrus are no longer exported due to lack of markets and reliable supply.
“After this meeting ZFU will embark on the training of farmers to be able to convince the markets and produce the required and quality of products required on the market,” said the ZFU director.
Farmers at the meeting lamented the issue of flooding of imported horticultural products on the local market as well as high cost of production as the major obstacles which are affecting them. — Bh24
