The trusts agronomist, Keith Granger, told The Zimbabwean that the trust so far had 200 hectares of coffee to go under contract farming in Chipinge and Vumba, the main growing areas.
“We are considering contracting the remaining farmers for coffee production in Manicaland to make sure that coffee farming in Zimbabwe does not die completely,” he said.
Since 2004, the trust has been moving from its traditional role of being just a grain buyer and it is now getting involved in production and processing of coffee.
Granger said the ZCGT would launch a pilot coffee growing project in Chipinge, where farmers would be contracted to produce the crop and help to market the coffee locally and internationally.
Granger said the trust expected the coffee farming projects to stimulate interest in coffee growing among local farmers, whom the ZCGT was willing to fund, and render other assistance.
Post published in: News