Luxaflor Roses (Pvt) Ltd (Luxaflor) will be showcasing during Hortiflor Expo in Zimbabwe from 16-18 September 2019
Referring to Zimbabwe’s horticultural industry, Roelof Nugteren of Luxaflor said that the country was the second largest African producer of horticulture products, but due to political unrest, it lost its position.
“Everyone seems to have that unrest in their minds, and therefore do not see the potential of this country,” said Nugteren. In 2007, they took over a rose farm that was established in 1995. Currently, they grow roses for the retail industry on 16.5 ha and will increase to 35 ha soon.
“As the production per sq m is higher than in Kenya, you can compare it to a 70 ha Kenyan rose farm,” Nugteren added.
Resources
According to Nugteren, the country is being underestimated in several areas. “Regarding resources, for example, Zimbabwe has a lot to offer to the floriculture industry. In Kenya, for example, water and ground can be an issue. Here in Zimbabwe, we have red clay ground in which we can grow and fresh clean water available in large amounts.”
Higher production
The bud size of the rose might be smaller, but the production is higher. “Around 240-280 stems per sq m is the standard here. As we focus on the retail segment, the smaller bud size is not an issue as they often require these smaller sizes. On top of that, more flowers fit in a box, which lowers the price per stem.”
People
The workers are broadening their knowledge base. “We see that the people in Zimbabwe are long-term oriented. Many people go abroad to take courses and come back to apply and implement what they’ve learned,” Nugteren added.
Farm expansion
The demand for Luxaflor’s roses has increased so much that they decided to expand the farm, nearly doubling the size. “Supermarkets are very enthusiastic – particularly in Australia,” according to Nugteren. In total, the cultivation acreage will be 35 ha and is expected to be in production in April 2020. By the end of this year, they will be at 20 ha of production.
Stimulate floricultural growth
Besides their own expansion, Luxaflor is set to stimulate the floriculture growth within Zimbabwe by establishing their own propagation unit.
