Revive idle tea factories, say growers

TEA growers in Honde Valley have urged Eastern Highlands Plantations to resuscitate some of its idle factories to increase the uptake of their crop.

Zimbabwe Farmers Union tea commodity provincial chairman Mr Charles Sanhanga said Eastern Highlands only has one functional factory that is taking up all the tea being produced in Honde Valley while two others have not been functional for years.

“Eastern Highlands had three factories, but only one has remained functional,” he said. “The factory now has to cater for all the smallholder farmers in the area as well as those in the out grower schemes.

The factory cannot take up all the tea including that which is coming from its own plantations.”

Mr Sanhanga said during the peak season, some farmers usually ended up pruning their tea since the factory cannot take up all the crop as it also has to process tea from the company’s plantations.

During the peak season (November to April) farmers in the area produce an average of 200 000kg per month but the figures usually drops significantly between May and October.

The Manicaland chapter of the Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) has been working on a project to link tea producers in Manicaland with banks and input suppliers.

The initiative has stalled due to the economic challenges experienced last year that saw prices of most goods skyrocketing.

The organisation is working with about 900 active members of the Honde Valley Tea Growers Association.