Mmegi

Phikwe Citrus' first harvest due next month

Giant leap: The Phikwe Citrus Project is one of the region’s largest operations and is expected to yield 70,000 tonnes per annum at full capacity
Giant leap: The Phikwe Citrus Project is one of the region’s largest operations and is expected to yield 70,000 tonnes per annum at full capacity

The P500 million Selebi-Phikwe Citrus project is expected to yield its first harvest next month, marking a significant leap in Botswana's drive to enhance agricultural production.

Johan Janse van Vuuren, the project’s Operations Manager, conveyed to Businessweek on Tuesday that this harvest would signify Botswana's first-ever citrus exports. The initial harvest will feature lemons, followed by oranges, grapefruit, and naartjies in subsequent seasons.

“Everything is going well at the farm, and we are getting ready to start exporting our first-ever harvest which will be lemons,” he said.


Editor's Comment
Don't let FMD outbreak drag on

Acting Agriculture Minister, Edwin Dikoloti, is right in saying opening an export-ready facility whilst Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is still spreading would risk getting the whole country blacklisted before a single carcass leaves the door.A ban like that would break the already stressed nation. So, the postponement, painful as it is, is the right thing to do. The local economy is being squeezed from both ends. FMD has already slammed the door...

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