SEED company Klein Karoo Zimbabwe is targeting to produce 6 000 tonnes of maize seed for the 2017 agriculture farming season.
BY TARISAI MANDIZHA
Klein Karoo is a subsidiary of Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed ZAAD Investment Limited and operates in South Africa, Mauritius and Zambia.
Speaking at the company’s annual field day in Pomona yesterday, Klein Karoo Seed Marketing country director John Makoni, said the company plans to sell over 6 000 tonnes of seed and currently has a 20% market share in the country.
Makoni said in the 2016 agriculture season the company managed to sell close to 5000 tonnes of seed.
“In 2016 we produced 5 000 tonnes of seed and the uptake was very good. For 2017, we are targeting to produce about 6 000 tonnes, in other words what we are saying we have got enough seed for the market that we have taken so far,” he said.
Makoni said the company also services the regional market and has been supplying about 1 000 tonnes in the regional market, with Kenya being one of the destinations.
“We service a bit of our products in Kenya. In Kenya we supply the P601, which is resistant to a plant disease in Kenya, as Zimbabwe was free of the disease.
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“Our main focus is drought tolerant and also low nitrogen seeds which have high output,” he said.
Makoni said apart from maize seed, the company produces other small grain varieties locally.
He said the company was compliant with the indigenisation laws with 51% of the company is owned by locals and 49% by Klein Karoo South Africa.
Klein Karoo Zimbabwe started operations in the country in 2013 and specialises in the production of high quality vegetable, pasture, grain, legume and flower seeds.
