Grow for the shelves, retailers urge farmers – herald

Source: Grow for the shelves, retailers urge farmers – herald

Business Reporter

ZIMBABWEAN farmers have been urged to take advantage of growing opportunities in the domestic retail market, with major supermarket chains saying the local agricultural producers can significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported food.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the 2026 Zimbabwe Agricultural Show Breakfast Meeting in Harare last week, SPAR Zimbabwe corporate affairs executive Mr Moses Chihuri said there was significant unmet demand for locally produced agricultural commodities, particularly horticultural products, chicken and other fresh produce.

The breakfast meeting, held under the theme “Powering Growth: Where Agriculture, Technology and Commerce Converge”, and organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, brought together Government officials, business leaders and stakeholders in the agricultural value chain.

Mr Chihuri said Zimbabwe’s economic stability should encourage businesses and farmers to shift their mindset and invest in opportunities emerging across the agricultural value chain.

“As a business, there is stability in the country,” he said.

“As a country, we definitely need to change our mindset, the way we see the environment.”

He said agriculture accounts for a substantial share of SPAR’s business, with about 35 percent to 40 percent of the retailer’s turnover coming from this sector’s value chain.

More importantly, he added, demand exists for products that local producers are struggling to supply consistently.

“For us, there is a big opportunity,” Mr Chihuri said, citing the retailer’s weekly requirements, including about 200 beets and approximately 25 tonnes of chicken.

He argued that such demand presented an opportunity for local farmers and entrepreneurs to establish commercially viable enterprises rather than relying on traditional employment.

“There’s a big opportunity in this market, and we can make money together if we partner,” he said.

Mr Chihuri questioned why Zimbabwe continued to import commodities that could be produced locally, citing apples, pumpkins, chicken and other agricultural commodities.

He said the country should be asking why products grown elsewhere were being brought into Zimbabwe when local farmers, agronomists, universities and other agricultural institutions had the capacity to boost domestic production.

Mr Chihuri particularly identified horticulture as an area with considerable room for growth. He said farmers would be reluctant to make major investments without certainty that there would be a market for their produce.

“My brother cannot invest into apples if he doesn’t have an off-taker,” he said, emphasising the importance of stronger relationships between farmers and retailers.

Food Lover’s Market director Mr Dustin Wilcox said local farmers had made significant progress, particularly in the quality of their produce.

“We’ve seen a massive improvement in the quality of local produce in the last 12 months,” he said.

He said lack of consistency in supply was one of the biggest challenges facing retailers.

Retailers, he explained, required produce to arrive in the right quality and quantity and at the right time.

While Zimbabwean farmers were capable of producing high-quality crops during the main growing season, maintaining similar volumes and quality outside the season was difficult.

“We are struggling to produce the same quality and quantity outside the seasons,” Mr Wilcox said.

He called for greater investment in technologies and production systems that would allow farmers to grow vegetables throughout the year.

According to Mr Wilcox, extending the growing season would not only provide retailers with a more reliable supply, but could also help Zimbabwe reduce its dependence on imports.

He challenged the longstanding practice of exporting some of Zimbabwe’s best agricultural produce while importing similar products for domestic consumption. “It doesn’t make sense for Zimbabweans to export a crop only to reimport it for our own consumption,” he said.

Food Lover’s Market, he said, had worked with exporters to encourage them to reserve a portion of their high-quality produce for the domestic market, which, in some cases offered better value than the export market.

The arrangement, he said, benefitted both sides, with retailers receiving fresher produce with longer shelf life, while producers gained access to the domestic market.

Mr Wilcox said consumers were increasingly willing to pay a premium for better-quality products.

Rethinking payment terms

Mr Wilcox called on retailers to reconsider payment arrangements for small-scale farmers, particularly vegetable growers operating on tight margins. He said the conventional approach of applying lengthy payment terms to all suppliers could place considerable pressure on small producers.

“If you’re selling a highly perishable product, why should you wait for your payment two weeks after you sold it?” he asked.

He said Food Lover’s Market had adopted a more flexible approach, taking into account market conditions and the nature of the product being supplied. Where a product was in short supply, farmers could have greater leverage to negotiate cash-flow arrangements, while suppliers of products in abundance might have to accept longer payment periods.

Mr Wilcox argued that small-scale farmers and vegetable growers should receive priority on payment because they needed the cash to return to the fields and continue producing.

“Give them their money, let them get back into the fields and keep producing for you,” he said.

From supplier to business partner

Mr Chihuri urged farmers who believe large supermarkets are inaccessible to change their approach and directly engage the retailers.

He said one of the biggest obstacles was not necessarily a lack of opportunity, but a failure by some producers to understand the operational requirements of modern retail.

Freshness, transportation, packaging and payment terms were among the issues retailers considered when onboarding suppliers.

For example, he added, a farmer delivering fresh produce could not expect a retailer to accept goods transported in conditions that compromised freshness.

He encouraged farmers to approach retailers and discuss their requirements rather than assuming that large supermarket chains were unwilling to work with small producers.

“Come, we sit down and have a discussion,” he said.

Mr Chihuri challenged the perception that agriculture was an occupation for people without professional qualifications. He argued that young professionals could find viable business opportunities in farming.

The message from the retailers was clear: The domestic market is there, but farmers must become more commercially organised, consistent and responsive to the requirements of modern retail. For Zimbabwe, the opportunity could extend beyond simply replacing imports.

Stronger links between farmers and retailers could help boost local value chains, create more jobs, improve food security and keep more value within the domestic economy.

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