SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SCALE PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF PROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN ZIMBABWE.

A study was conducted to investigate the constraints and prospects of small-scale production and marketing of processed fruits and vegetables in the eastern districts of Zimbabwe. A sample of 26 small-scale horticultural producers/ processors was randomly selected during the land reform exercise involving in-depth interviews to gain insight of the requirements for small-scale enterprises to effectively produce and market processed fruits and vegetables. The results showed that small-scale food enterprises were mainly engaged in the production of dried fruits, vegetables, and fruit jams. The growers are encountering technical, financial, infrastructural, institutional, social and information gaps as constraints. It was revealed that fruit and vegetable production declined sharply during the land reform transitional period. Food processing was hindered by lack of training, high prices of basic ingredients, lack of appropriate processing equipment and shortages of packaging material. Processors generally lacked marketing information and processing skills. From this study, it may be concluded that availability of appropriate processing equipment, processing skills, packaging material, and marketing information could improve financial returns to small-scale horticultural processors. It may be recommended that small scale fruit and vegetables processors require further training in their business and that banks and allied companies are urged to avail financial services to them