Zimbabwe company seeks export vegetable outgrowers

Exhort Enterprises, a subsidiary of the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe, is searching for vegetable farmers to grow for the export market.

While no figures were provided, an official from the company said that the company was also looking to boost capacity utilisation of its processing plant, which has the capacity to process at least 35 tonnes of vegetables per day.

The company will assist contracted farmers with the necessary inputs and technical services for production. Farmers would then sell the produce to the company at a negotiated price.

The official said the company was only interested in vegetables that can be frozen.
Farmers targeted were those involved in production of peas, cauliflower, baby corn, fine beans, broccoli, butternuts, carrots and baby marrow.

Exhort, which has gone through three name changes, was previously called Zimfreeze and later renamed Frupack, has South Africa as the main regional market.

Probably the largest cotton company in Southern Africa, Cottco acquired Exhort early this year as one of the strategic companies that could, among other synergies, help boost foreign currency earnings.

The Herald