3 minute read
How to financially survive difficult times part three
It has been almost a year since President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi officially kick-started the Selebi Phikwe Citrus Project — a multi-million pula agro-business project poised to change the landscape of Botswana’s agricultural sector.
Advertisement
The Selebi Phikwe Citrus is a 1,500 hectare horticultural development in the Selebi Phikwe region. Intended as a flagship project for the country, it will set in motion the growth of the country’s agriculture industry.
Once fully set up, Selebi Phikwe Citrus will be one of the largest consolidated citrus enterprises in Southern Africa. The 1,500-hectare site will enclose 1,200 hectares of citrus orchards, planned to be developed between 2020 and 2025.
A delegation led by President Masisi, comprising cabinet ministers and high-ranking government officials on 27 October 2021 visited the project to appreciate its progress.
The project draws water from Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) connection through a 10 km pipeline. Laying of the pipe was completed in December 2020. The pipeline’s function is to transport water from WUC in Selebi Phikwe to the different irrigation and water reservoir dams around the farm. The pipeline is 10 km long and approximately 1,666 pipes were laid in the ground to complete the line.
The first step of the process was preparing the ground for the pipeline. Two Wheel Dozers were used to clear the bushes, followed by excavators that excavated the soil from the ground. As soon as the digging was done, rollers were responsible for preparing the pipe bed.
The pipes were transported from storage to the pipeline with two specially built pipe trailers. Once they have arrived, the pipes were placed in the ground and two TLB’S were used to cover the pipes and secure the ground.
Planting of citrus trees took full momentum in May 2021. The first orchards to be fully planted consist of Star Ruby grapefruit and this makes up about 140 hectares (95 000 trees).
Some local Botswana farmworkers prepared land for citrus orchards, installed extensive irrigation systems, and planted citrus trees for the very first, meaning significant skill and knowledge transfer.
During the month of May, the team increased their capacity from planting 260 trees on the first day, to comfortably handling the planting of 6 000 trees per day, mirroring massive achievement for the team.
In August 2021, the project continued on an upward trajectory on site as the team started first with the Eureka Lemons and progressed with ground preparation for the other parts of the farm.
In September, bush clearing continued, reaching about 800 hectares, the team on-site started planting first sweet oranges, Bennie Valencias. As of September 2021, 95 000 Star Rubie trees were planted on 140 hectares, 35000 Eureka Lemons trees were planted on 50 hectares, 44 000 Bennie Valencias trees on 60 hectares.
Labour for the Selebi Phikwe Citrus project is primarily sourced from the Selebi Phikwe area, which is expected to be in ample supply given the liquidation of the BCL mines. Currently, the project employs just over 200 locals from the SPEDU region.
The project will ultimately employ over 1,500 permanent and seasonal
1500
Number permanet and seasonal workers to be employed
workers at its peak, to a great extent mitigating the unemployment tragedy caused by the closure of the BCL mines.
When officiating during the ground breaking ceremony in December last year, President Masisi said the Selebi-Phikwe Citrus Project is in alignment with government’s strategy to modernize the country’s agricultural sector with the view to boost food security and nutrition in Botswana.
He expressed confidence that the project, with an initial investment of P300 million, will transform the landscape of citrus production in Botswana and contribute to the economic growth of the SPEDU region and the country as a whole.
When in full production, some 70000 tonnes of citrus will be produced annually. The bulk of this, approximately 70% will be exported to Northern Hemisphere markets such as the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia, China and Japan. The balance will go to the Botswana market, SADC and a small percentage to Agro-processing e.g. fruit juice.
The Selebi-Phikwe Citrus project farm is rented from Mmadinare Cooperative society. The Project funders and shareholders are amongst others Choppies Chief Executive Officer Ramachandran Ottapathu, and Netherlands incorporated agribusiness firms Afrigold Holdings B.C and Zapemm B.V.
