The Sunday News
Oliver Kazunga, Senior Farming Reporter
AN enterprising farmer in Umguza District, Matabeleland North, Mr Bah Mathema has become one of the few farmers to spearhead the revival of castor bean farming in the area.
A notable number of farmers in Matabeleland North were into production of castor bean in the early 1990s but the growing of the castor oil plant in the province and throughout Matabeleland region virtually collapsed after the sole off-taker in the area ceased operations about 10 years ago.
However, of late a local bio-technology firm, Oil Castor has been encouraging communal farmers to venture into castor bean production through growing the company’s engineered castor bean seeds. In a recent video recorded by Oil Castor at his farm, Mr Mathema said he decided to venture into the production of the crop owing to its lucrative returns.
“I have planted one hectare of castor bean and the crop doesn’t need much labour. You can actually grow it while on full time employment elsewhere. It’s actually a very lucrative venture as it has a readily available market,” he said.
Among other uses, castor bean is used for medicinal purposes as well as in the production of cosmetic products, bio-diesel, bio-motor oil or hydraulic oil, and soaps. Harvesting of the crop is done after every four months cycle over seven years with each harvest producing an average of one tonne while in the second harvest a farmer that would have grown the engineered seed is assured of attaining a yield ranging between three and four tonnes per hectare.
At 16 months and beyond the yield would be averaging between six and eight tonnes per hectare.
Mr Mathema appealed to the Government to introduce a subsidy programme for the production of castor bean.
“If we can get a subsidy from the Government in the form of farm implements such as tractors that will go a long way in boosting output of the crop in the country because we really see the potential it has on the international market,” he said.
The castor oil plant is drought resistant and tolerates different soil types making it suitable for growing in the Matabeleland region where the climate conditions and soils do not favour much cropping.
Last year Oil Castor spent US$230 000 towards payment of communal farmers in four Southern African Development Community countries namely, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, and Mozambique for the produce delivered under the firm’s engineered castor bean seed programme. Of the money, US$160 000 went towards the payment of castor bean producers in Zimbabwe. This year, the bio-technology company has announced setting aside US$700 000 for the purchasing of castor beans in the four southern African countries.
@okazunga
