Fruits and Vegetables Association President Benard Sikunyongana has revealed that Zambia is making significant strides in the production of good-quality oranges.
According to Sikunyongana, the country is currently producing about 20% of the oranges it needs, with the remaining 80% being imported.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times, Sikunyongana emphasized the improving quality of local oranges, noting that farmers in Mkushi have been harvesting high-quality oranges for the past two months.
He expressed pride in the fact that Zambia is now able to offer locally grown oranges of exceptional quality, disputing the misconception that Zambia cannot produce top-grade oranges.
Sikunyongana highlighted the need to further boost local production. He called for increased support for farmers and investment in agricultural infrastructure to capitalize on the potential for greater local orange production.
“We now have farmers who have nice very good quality oranges in Mkushi as we have started harvesting this year and they have been on the market for 2 months now.” He said.
Sikunyongana further stated that people used to think that Zambia could not have quality oranges and they didn’t know that the oranges were currently on the Market.
By investing in farming techniques, infrastructure, and market access, Zambia can further enhance its capacity to meet the domestic demand for oranges.
