BEITBRIDGE, Aug. 15 (NewsDay Live) — Lands and Rural Development Minister Peter Vangelis Haritatos has praised the rapid expansion of Orange Ville Trading in Beitbridge, describing the citrus operation as a model of rural development and industrialisation.
Haritatos, who toured the operation on Saturday with ministry secretary Prosper Matondi, said the company had significantly expanded its operations and investment since his previous visit in September 2025.
“What we’ve seen, we’re blown away. They’ve actually increased their enterprise, they’ve increased their investment,” Haritatos said.
He said the development demonstrated the potential for factories and other value-addition industries to relocate from urban centres to rural areas, creating jobs and stimulating local economies.
The delegation toured a citrus plantation approaching 1 500 hectares, with the company continuing to expand its orchards.
The operation processes citrus into juice and other by-products, including orange peels used as animal feed.
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Haritatos said discussions were underway to replicate the model on neighbouring properties and establish a citrus hub that would supply Orange Ville’s processing plant.
“This is the value addition and beneficiation that His Excellency has been talking about,” he said.
He said the company also planned to construct additional dams to increase water storage and support further expansion of the plantation.
Haritatos highlighted staff housing at the operation, which he said included running water, electricity and space for workers to grow vegetables, as evidence of efforts to improve employees’ livelihoods.
On exports, he said Orange Ville was engaging international beverage companies, including Coca-Cola International and Schweppes, over potential supply arrangements for its juice plant.
Haritatos also renewed calls for farmers to formalise land ownership and obtain title deeds that could be used as collateral to access financing.
He said secure land tenure would enable farmers to invest in production and contribute more to provincial and national economic growth.
Government, he said, would continue supporting Orange Ville’s expansion as an example of how its policies could drive rural development.