Cathrine Biswick Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe has missed the soya-bean production target of 250 000 tonnes set for the industry this year, an official of the National Soya-bean Promotion Task Force said yesterday.Task force chairperson Professor Sheunesu Mpepereki yesterday said the country only managed to produce nearly 150 000 tonnes of soya-bean, against a national target of 250 000 tonnes.

“This year we have produced nearly 150 000 tonnes of soya-bean. Although it is an improvement compared to last year’s figures, we are still failing to meet our national target,” he said.

Statistics indicate that Zimbabwe produced 70 000 tonnes last year. Soya-bean growers said the country has a potential to grow 350 000 tonnes if farmers are properly mobilised and adequate resources made available.

Prof Mpepereki said imports from Argentina, Zambia, India and Brazil where farmers were heavily subsidised were threatening the viability of the sector.

“We are importing soya-bean from India, Argentina and Brazil yet we have the potential to grow our own soya-beans,” he said.
“We have to change this and find ways of supporting our growers to boost production and empower them to compete.

We need policy support and finance to enable farmers to repay loans, start value addition and use the product to start other economic empowerment projects.”

He said the shortage of soya-bean in the country had serious implications on industrial capacity utilisation for agro-processing firms involved in food and livestock processing.

He urged the new Cabinet to explore ways of supporting soya-bean growers to help boost the national output of the legume.
“Local production is still inadequate because many new farmers in soya high potential areas still need training and advisory support for them to take up the crop.

“Strengthening extension services is necessary, while policy support backed by financial support is needed,” said Prof Mpepereki.
Local production fell sharply to 37 000 tonnes in 2010 from a peak of 170 000 tonnes in 2001.

Despite the challenges, soya-bean production is on a rebound despite the output falling short of the national requirement of 250 000 tonnes for stock-feed and cooking oil production.

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