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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 30784, member: 2262"] Zimbabwe farmers need freight payments handled differently for their pea shipments. The Horticultural Development Council asked the government to let them pay freight costs with foreign money before the 70:30 split happens. This change would help growers make more money from the booming pea market. The British Ambassador to Zimbabwe shared on X that Zimbabwe grows 60 percent of all sugar snap peas sold in UK stores. Farmers start shipping these popular peas between late April and early May each year. The central bank recently changed how much foreign cash exporters keep—dropping it from 75 percent to 70 percent. Dr. John Mushayavanhu made this change when announcing monetary plans for 2025. He stated that this helps build reserves for backing the ZiG currency and adds more foreign money to local markets. Export group chairman Clarence Mwale explained that most international orders use Cost, Insurance, and Freight terms. Under these agreements, Zimbabwean sellers must cover shipping, insurance, and other expenses themselves. Farmers already pay for export licenses, farming supplies, and many services using foreign dollars. Splitting their earnings before they handle these big expenses causes financial problems. Stanley Heri, the HDC chairman, mentioned that farmers plant peas from mid-February through May. This timing helps them sell when Guatemala sends less product to Europe, creating higher prices. Any crops planted after June reach European markets when schools close and families travel for vacation, causing demand to crash. The best prices come when Zimbabwe air-ships peas quickly during the high-demand window. Heri expressed concern about KLM/Martin Air Service ending operations. The expensive shipping fees substantially reduce farm profits. Peas grown during the prime season fly directly to European markets for premium prices. Later harvests travel by sea, taking many days to arrive when markets already have plenty of supply. Statistics show that fresh pea export earnings jumped 15 percent from $2.9 million to $3.3 million last year. The actual volume increased 12 percent, reaching almost 2.9 million kilograms. [/QUOTE]

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