Most former floriculture farms in the Umguza prime farming area have now been turned into vegetable producing plots.
A visit to a former floriculture producer, Rockie Farm, last week revealed that new farmers have stopped growing and exporting flowers to Europe due to low response from foreign buyers.
“When we were allocated this farm in 2006, we inherited flowers which were left by the former owner of the farm. The following year we tried to grow the crop with the assistance of local Agritex officials. But customers started to shun our crop claiming that the flowers were of poor quality,” said Lucas Dhlomo, a new farmer.
He accused the rightful owner of the farm, Steve Mandel, of influencing foreign buyers not to buy flowers from black farmers.
“We know that this snubbing of our crop is part of the sanctions which has been imposed on the country by the West. Mandel used to freight lots of flowers to Europe every week but because we are now black farmers they are no longer interested in our crop,” claimed Dhlomo.
Another new farmer, Jealous Mandebvu, admitted that the new farmers were facing challenges in growing the crop.
“I have tried to grow flowers on my plot but they developed some stains (sic) and the output was of low quality. The poor appearance of the flowers was not appealing to foreign buyers who are very particular about the crop,” said Mandebvu.
Post published in: News