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farming to increase earnings.
It said the diversification, which also includes macadamia nut farming, was in response to low tea prices prevailing on the world market.

Tanganda Tea Company owns and operates six tea and three coffee estates in the Eastern Highlands covering over 2 600 hectares.
The company said it planned to put 300 hectares under potatoes, macadamia nuts and avocados.

Company commercial director, Mr Sam Magombedze told New Ziana the three crops were being planted in areas where there was tea previously. He said tea production costs were rising, yet prices on world markets were failing, making the crop unviable. Frequent power outages had also affected production.

As a result, Mr Magombedze said Tanganda Tea Company had seen it viable to diversify into other crops. – New Ziana.
He said the company expected to reap massive benefits from diversifying into other crops.

“We are increasing our hectarage for macadamias and are embarking on a substantial development of avocados, and this will also be included in our out-grower programmes,” he said.
Tanganda has an extensive tea out-grower scheme involving small-scale farmers around its estates. – New Ziana.