Key words of the passage: organic; crop; food; health; trade

Zimbabwe should take advantage of the growing global demand for organic crops to boost the production of horticulture crops that are free from synthetic materials such as herbicides and enhance rural incomes, ZimTrade, the country's export promotion body, said.

With consumers becoming more concerned about their health, demand for organic foods, including fruits and vegetables, has risen steadily in the past 10 years.

“Currently, there is a growing demand for organic foods among consumers, as more people are becoming health conscious and looking for products that are high in nutrients and low in calories," ZimTrade chief executive Mr. Allan Majuru said. "Consumers are also becoming more aware of foods containing synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and are switching to organic foods, which is driving the market growth of organic farming that is devoid of the chemicals used in crops. By focusing on organic produce, there is potential for the horticulture sector to increase its contribution to national exports, riding on improved production by smallholder farmers and rural communities," Mr. Majuru added.

To boost production and exports of horticulture, Mr. Majuru said ZimTrade was working on cluster development in various provinces to provide growth opportunities to small-holder farmers.

Source: allafrica.com