Dumisani Dube | Harare | Zimbabwe
This week, I visited Mbare Musika, the sprawling heart of Harare’s vegetable trade. The scene was a whirlwind of activity, with trucks arriving in the predawn hours to unload their produce. By sunrise, most of the business is already concluded, a testament to the urgency of the market. While the hustle and bustle speaks to the vibrancy of the local economy, it also highlights a critical issue: the alarming lack of food safety regulations and enforcement.
Vegetables are haphazardly unloaded from trucks onto the ground, often directly onto the dusty market floor. They are then loaded onto other vehicles, exposed to the elements, and handled with little regard for hygiene. This chaotic environment raises serious concerns about the safety of the produce reaching consumers.
Despite the millions of dollars that flow through Mbare Musika each month, food safety appears to be a low priority. Inquiries about pesticide use, origin, and production history are rare. Consumers, primarily concerned with price and appearance, often overlook the potential health risks.
To assess the true state of food safety in 2023 a local researcher sent a sample of produce from Mbare Musika to a laboratory for analysis. The results were alarming: the presence of Paraquat, a banned pesticide in Zimbabwe & most parts of the Globe, was detected. This highly toxic pesticide poses significant health risks, even at low levels of exposure. 1
This incident underscores the urgent need for improved food safety regulations and stricter enforcement. Zimbabwe can learn from the European Union, where traceability is paramount. In the EU, selling produce without a clear origin and production history is simply not an option.
The potential for a niche market in Zimbabwe for high-quality, traceable produce is immense. By prioritizing food safety and implementing robust quality control measures, local farmers can access premium markets and significantly increase their income. Think of a scenario whereby you market your product as genuinely organically produced or simply products that are traceable back to the farm of origin, date of harvest, plot of harvest, individual harvesting the crop. I know that probably sounds impossible well that is actually very possible and is the standard in Europe and can be implemented here in Zimbabwe. Here in Zimbabwe this is being practiced at most farms growing fresh produce for the EU export market with tremendous profit margins. From a business point of view this avenue could possibly be a great business opportunity for local producers to market their fresh produce to premium markets here in Zimbabwe just like what they do in the EU.
In order to attain these mentioned levels of standards it is perhaps important to mention that one needs to invest in training in food safety standards and hygiene protocols or at the least hire a professional for this task.
It is time for a paradigm shift. Farmers must prioritize food safety practices, from farm to market. Local markets must prioritize traceability and hygiene. And consumers must become more discerning, demanding safe and responsibly produced food. The health and well-being of our communities depend on it. Look out for the next article which will focus on the fresh produce export business and how one can get into this multi- million dollar business.
Dumisani a professional agronomist and export horticulture expert who is a consultant at Fresh Solutions Africa. Contact details freshsolutionsafrica@gmail.com.
