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Sikhulekelani Moyo, Business Reporter

LISTED seed manufacturer, SeedCo Zimbabwe, yesterday launched a new cabbage seed variety (SCV Majesty) in Matabeleland region where it seeks to capacitate farmers to grow and supply high-value produce.

The launch coincided with a field day event held at its demonstration farm in Umguza District. SeedCo sales and marketing agronomist for Matabeleland, Mr Tony Moyo, said the new seed variety will help farmers to achieve consistence in production and supply so as to gain market confidence.

“This is an opportunity to showcase our new variety as SeedCo as we understand that farmers in Matabeleland need big cabbage heads for their market,” he said.

“We call upon farmers to try this new variety as they have been crying, looking for the product that will give them the right size at the same time has the tolerance to most of the diseases and some of the pests that normally give farmers headache.

“We are also trying to motivate farmers so that they can go back to farming because we have been having challenges of people getting products being brought into Bulawayo from Mutare, Harare and other provinces because we don’t have farmers who have consistence in producing.”

Mr Moyo said embracing market research was also critical as it helps farmers to know what their market wants. He also said farmers should seek advice from trained personnel so as to reduce losses.

Mr Moyo said the new cabbage variety has been proven to have a long shelf life, a feature that is meant to reduce post-harvest losses.

“The SCV Majesty is meant to solve post-harvest losses experienced by farmers. The field holding capacity is 14 to 21 days without cracking,” he said. 

“Even after cutting it, it lasts for a bit longer because it has lots of water.”

From the trial plantation at Undercover Farm, Seed Co planted 10 000 of the new variety cabbage, which weighs between seven to nine kilograms per head.

Mr Moyo said as Seed Co they were working closely with the Government and other organisations like ADRA to push for the horticulture recovery and growth plan.

The Zimbabwe Horticulture Recovery and Growth Programme is a vital milestone in the implementation of the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, reversing deforestation and increasing climate resilience.

“We are trying to push so that we have a lot of people that are engaged in the horticulture. Two weeks ago, we visited Beitbridge citrus farmers as we want to introduce more people into horticulture,” he said.

In an interview, one of the horticulture farmers from Matabeleland who identified herself as Mrs Moyo said SCV Majesty is a good variety as it can be grown throughout the year.

She said it is very important for Matabeleland farmers to work hard so that they can enjoy the available market instead of people bringing products into Bulawayo, which local farmers can produce.

“If you look at the market in Bulawayo CBD, you meet trucks from different provinces bringing agri-products. We have to try and work hard and supply our market,” said Mrs Moyo.

She said there is also need to collaborate so that if farmers want to buy inputs, install irrigation systems and greenhouses, it will not be too expensive. – @SikhulekelaniM1.