Zimbabwe expands citrus growing areas with a view to China

According to Zimbabwean media reports, new citrus groves are being established along the Mupfure River in the Chegutu district of north-central Zimbabwe to produce larger quantities of fruit for export, including a quota 50,000 tons to China. Christopher Mutsvangwa, former Zimbabwean ambassador to China, recently stated in Chegutu that a mutual agreement had been reached with Chinese contacts to meet an annual quota of 50,000 metric tons. Although other regions, such as Beitbridge, are also heavily involved in citrus growing, it is hoped that the new plantings in Chegutu will complement these efforts and allow the Zimbabwean citrus industry to better meet market demand. Zimbabwe is reportedly ranked 53rd in the world in citrus production, behind countries like Mexico, Brazil, India and the Philippines. In recent years, however, the country's citrus production has shown steady growth, forecast to reach an estimated volume ...