Revive Chiredzi citrus project, graduates urged

MASVINGO Polytechnic College graduates have been challenged to use their expertise to resuscitate the million-dollar Hippo Valley Citrus project in Chiredzi, which has potential to generate millions of dollars in foreign currency annually.

The call was made by Masvingo Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises provincial chairperson Mr Edmore Veterai during the graduation of 804 students under the Traditional Apprentice Programme recently.

He said the citrus farm was idle despite its vast potential of being a cash cow and that of easing unemployment among graduates.

‘’My appeal to Masvingo Polytechnic graduates is that they must use their skills to revive the citrus farm that is lying idle in Chiredzi. The farm has been idle for too long and graduates should form a group and apply for funding from Government to revive the farm, which will bring benefits to our country,” said Mr Veterai.

He said Zimbabwe had good weather conditions suitable for the production of citrus fruits mainly for export, which would earn the country foreign currency. He also challenged Zimbabweans to develop a culture of planting fruit trees, particularly those close to perennial rivers.

“Let’s all develop a habit of growing fruit trees, we cannot continue to have a situation where rivers are taking water to the sea without us using it. We should use that water for fruit production.’’

At its peak, the Hippo Valley citrus farm used to be a source of citrus fruits for both local consumption and export.

Besides earning foreign currency, he said, the farm’s revival would create hundreds of direct jobs for people in the Lowveld and surrounding areas.