The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
WORK at one of Matabeleland’s biggest agricultural projects, the pecan nut plantation in Umguza District, which is expected to play an immense role in turning around the region’s economy while raking in substantial foreign currency for the country has started.
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) Balu pecan and livestock plantation general manager Dr Jeremy Hubert said planting of the five varieties of the pecan nut stalks started in August and was expected to be completed this week.
Arda Balu in Umguza District in Matabeleland North Province is one of the estates which the Government agricultural institution has managed to revive through joint venture arrangements with players in the private sector.
The pecan nut project is expected to see 1 000 hectares being put under the deciduous tree in five years, making it one of the biggest such plantations in the world.
“With our relationship with Arda we were contracted to do 50 hectares this year but we have done a 100 hectares and we are very pleased with that because that gives us and the investors confidence because it shows that we can do the job. Next season we will plant 150 hectares and the next season which is year three we are looking at putting 250 hectares one time and that will take us to 500 hectares and then we are looking at doing 250 hectares each for two more years. In five years time we should be having a 1 000 hectares,” said Dr Hubert.
He said preparations were already being undertaken to ensure adequate water supplies to the plantation.
“Of course there are going to be limitation factors. The first limitation is going to be water but we believe the water in this dam is enough. One of the strategies we are thinking of employing is that there is Umguza (River) on the western boundary . . . we would like to put a low crossing bridge like a weir and use that as a backup source of water,” said Mr Hubert.
The water requirements of a pecan tree are very high with a mature tree easily consuming 600 litres of water per day at the peak of summer.
Dr Hubert said the nut had potential of becoming one of the country’s top foreign currency earners, adding that it had contributed immensely to neighbouring South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product. South Africa has about 40 000 hectares cropped under pecans with the international price of raw nuts averaging $6 per kilogramme, but the retail price in South Africa is about $37 per kilogramme.
“At the moment, the Chinese are buying every single nut in Southern Africa — just about (everything), but the market is very big, the Americans are there as well. The (entire) Asian (market) hasn’t really started but there is a huge demand there and the Europeans are also looking. Our research tells us the market is going to expand,” said Dr Hubert.
Pecan nuts are becoming increasingly popular as a crunchy and nutritious snack. Pecans are one of the most popular edible nuts native to North America and Mexico. The pecan tree is a large deciduous tree belonging to the hickory family.
“If you go to some markets in Europe the premiums are double for the organic product, that’s a big plus at the moment and to be honest it’s a good farming principle. If you can drive an operation that’s organic and self sustainable, that’s perfect, that’s all we should be aiming for,” said Dr Hubert.
He said an outgrowers scheme would be put in place to complement production at the plantation with an outreach programme to educate communal farmers on the importance and benefits of growing pecan trees expected to be rolled out soon.
“This year we are trying to get this thing (pecan plantation) locked down and we are going to put our own nursery as well and we have other trees in Fort Rixon and what we are trying to do is develop where people have water to put small amounts of trees. These trees in America are commercial trees and they are about 200 years old so if you can look after this tree and make it mature that means its money for the next generations,” said Dr Hubert.
The project is expected to employ about 2 000 people with a large number of them being seasonal casual workers that would be contracted to pick reaped nuts.
“This project is going to be a major employer in this region (Matabeleland). We have the resources and the community behind us and added to that we are expecting 100 percent export market for these pecan nuts,” said Dr Hubert.
He said climatic conditions in Matabeleland favour the growing of pecan trees.
