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Zimbabwe crude oil import bill set to fall
29 mins ago |
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Zimbabwe's sunflower farming sector is poised for significant growth through a new contract farming programme aimed at reducing the country's crude oil import bill. The initiative, called Mr Sunflower, is being led by local seed company Precision Oil Seed International and is expected to support over 10,000 farmers across 100,000 hectares during the 2025-26 farming season.
Sunflower prices in Zimbabwe vary depending on buyers 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 offer between US$1,200 and US$1,600 per tonne for A-grade sunflower.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, imports of soybean, sunflower, cottonseed, and crude oil have surged by 144 percent, rising from US$142 million in 2010 to US$346 million in 2021, peaking at US$370 million in 2022. Precision Oil Seed projects that Zimbabwe will produce 280,000 metric tonnes of sunflower in the upcoming season, up from the 150,000-tonne target of the previous season.
Precision Oil Seed CEO Marshal Masvikepi highlighted the financial strain of crude oil imports, noting that the country imports nearly US$300 million worth annually from India, China, and Brazil. "These are cheap crude oils, high in sulphur, which is not so healthy for our population," he said.
The programme will support farmers across the production value chain, providing inputs, expertise, and guaranteed markets for their produce. "Farmers bring in the land; we bring the inputs, the expertise, and the market where we buy back the product," Masvikepi explained. Agronomists have already been deployed in Mashonaland East, West, Central, and Midlands under the first phase, with plans to expand nationwide.
Sunflower, a drought-resistant crop, is well-suited to Zimbabwe's climate and offers a higher oil extraction rate compared to soybeans and cotton, making it a more efficient crop for oil production. The government has also been promoting sunflower farming through programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, which provides drought-resistant seeds and inputs to communal farmers.
Sunflower prices in Zimbabwe vary depending on buyers 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 offer between US$1,200 and US$1,600 per tonne for A-grade sunflower.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, imports of soybean, sunflower, cottonseed, and crude oil have surged by 144 percent, rising from US$142 million in 2010 to US$346 million in 2021, peaking at US$370 million in 2022. Precision Oil Seed projects that Zimbabwe will produce 280,000 metric tonnes of sunflower in the upcoming season, up from the 150,000-tonne target of the previous season.
The programme will support farmers across the production value chain, providing inputs, expertise, and guaranteed markets for their produce. "Farmers bring in the land; we bring the inputs, the expertise, and the market where we buy back the product," Masvikepi explained. Agronomists have already been deployed in Mashonaland East, West, Central, and Midlands under the first phase, with plans to expand nationwide.
Sunflower, a drought-resistant crop, is well-suited to Zimbabwe's climate and offers a higher oil extraction rate compared to soybeans and cotton, making it a more efficient crop for oil production. The government has also been promoting sunflower farming through programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, which provides drought-resistant seeds and inputs to communal farmers.
Source - Newsday
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