Wayne Ncube
ABALIMI sebexwayiswe ukuthi balime i-cocoa ngokuthelezela ngoba ilomkambo omkhulu kusizwekazi se Sadc.
Umlimi olilunga leZimbabwe Farmers Union uMnumzana Mkhumbuzi Siziba usekhuthaze abalimi ukuba balime i-cocoa ngoba kuyisilimo esingejwayelekanga endaweni yeZimbabwe kodwa esilomkambo okhula okumangalisayo.
“Ukuze ulime i-cocoa kufuna ube uthelezela njalo lamasimu akho akumelanga abe makhulu kakhulu ngoba i-2 hectares inganika umlimi i-600-800kg ngomnyaka.
“I-cocoa iyisilimo esibuthakathaka, idinga amanzi amanengi kanye lelanga ukuze ikhule kuhle, kodwa kuyadingeka izihlahla ezizavikela umoya ongalimaza lesi isilimo,” kulandisa uMnu Siziba.
Kulezikhathi ezimbili zokuvuna ngomnyaka emazweni amanengi, kulokuvuna okukhulu okuyikho okulindiweyo kuthi ukuvuna izilimo eziyabe zisalele.
“Isilimo lesi sivunwa kabili ngomnyaka lapho okokuqala umlimi yikho athola khona isivuno esinengi kuzokuthi nxa esevuna okwesibili umlimi uyabe esekhangele izilimo ezihlumele ekucineni lazo zandise ukuba zinengi okokuthi umlimi zingamenzela imali enhle,” kuchaza uMnu Siziba.
Uphethe ngokukhuthaza abalimi ukuthi isilimo lesi sivuneka kalula, “abalimi be-cocoa basebenzisa izigodo ezinde ukwethula izilimo lezi bezifaka kumabhasikithi.”