Deciduous Fruit Growers Association Chairman, Edward Buwu, said that as part of their expansion drive to revive the industry and increase output they had replanted 2 00 hectares of apple trees nationally.
Buwu said the replanting exercise would see output increasing to 15, 000 tonnes in the next 10 years.
“Some of our trees are over 40 years and they cannot produce more. We want to increase the number of trees so that we will able to regain our share of the market,” said Buwu.
Buwu said the demand for apples in the country was slightly below 40, 000 tonnes a year and Zimbabwe was producing 6, 000 tonnes. He said 60 percent was being produced by major producers namely Clairmount, Nyanga Downs and Nyamabaya farm while the rest was being covered by local small scale farmers.
He said the deficit 34, 000 tonnes was being covered by South Africa.
Post published in: Agriculture