Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. ZIMBABWE’S sunflower farming sector is set to receive a major boost through a contract farming programme spearheaded by a local seed company aiming to reduce the country’s crude oil import bill.
The price of sunflower in Zimbabwe vary depending on a buyer and quality.
The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) set a pre-planting price of US$712,20 per tonne for the 2024-25 season, while private buyers are offering between US$1 200 and US$1 600 per tonne for A-grade sunflower.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, imports of soyabean, sunflower, cotton seed and crude oil have risen by 144% from US$142 million in 2010 to US$346 million in 2021, with a peak of US$370 million in 2022.
The initiative, dubbed Mr Sunflower, led by Precision Oil Seed International, is expected to support more than 10 000 farmers across 100 000 hectares during the 2025-26 farming season.
According to Precision Oil Seed, Zimbabwe is projected to produce 280 000 metric tonnes of sunflower, up from the 150 000-tonne target of the previous season.
Precision Oil Seed chief executive Marshal Masvikepi highlighted the financial strain caused by crude oil imports.
“The national deficit for crude oil is accumulating close to 300 million per annum in crude oils being imported from India, China, Brazil and these are cheap crude oils, high in sulphur which is not so healthy for our population,” he explained.
The programme will provide farmers with support across the production value chain.
“Farmers bring in the land, we bring in the inputs, the expertise and the market where we buy back the product,” Masvikepi said.
“We have deployed agronomists across the country in four provinces namely Mashonaland East, West, Central and Midlands under the first phase of the programme, which we hope to upscale countrywide in the near future,” he added.
Sunflower is a drought-resistant crop, making it ideal for Zimbabwe’s climate.
It also has a higher oil extraction rate compared to soya beans and cotton, positioning it as a more efficient crop for oil production.
The government has been promoting sunflower farming through initiatives such as the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, which provides drought-resistant seeds and inputs to communal farmers.
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