Nearly 600 tonnes of blueberries left Zimbabwe last year for European and Middle Eastern shelves, and the company behind it just banked close to two million bucks doing it. Wiserow Enterprises is the outfit running the show, and GM Bruce James Meikle is out here saying they're gunning to almost double that haul to 900 tonnes this cycle.
Middle East orders took a dip this year though, and that's basically down to the conflict messing with things over there, so Europe's staying the main target.
Here's the actual edge Zimbabwe's sitting on: harvest season runs in the summer months when basically nobody else on the planet has fresh stock coming in, which means these guys walk into a wide open lane in Europe. Meikle's also eyeing China as a fresh market during that same gap. Apparently, Zimbabwean berries have built a solid rep for quality and flavor, and that reputation's translating into real leverage price-wise.
Growth plans are no joke either. They're pushing hectarage from 72 up to 125, and once that's fully rolled out, output could hit 2,500 tonnes annually. Revenue target for this year sits at five million dollars.
Only a tiny slice, five percent, stays domestic, since local demand can't soak up much before the market gets oversaturated, so export stays king for that premium payout.
For anyone thinking about planting, Meikle's tip is sandy soil only, skip the clay entirely or go potted instead, and he threw in that blueberries pack solid antioxidants and vitamins too.
Middle East orders took a dip this year though, and that's basically down to the conflict messing with things over there, so Europe's staying the main target.
Here's the actual edge Zimbabwe's sitting on: harvest season runs in the summer months when basically nobody else on the planet has fresh stock coming in, which means these guys walk into a wide open lane in Europe. Meikle's also eyeing China as a fresh market during that same gap. Apparently, Zimbabwean berries have built a solid rep for quality and flavor, and that reputation's translating into real leverage price-wise.
Growth plans are no joke either. They're pushing hectarage from 72 up to 125, and once that's fully rolled out, output could hit 2,500 tonnes annually. Revenue target for this year sits at five million dollars.
Only a tiny slice, five percent, stays domestic, since local demand can't soak up much before the market gets oversaturated, so export stays king for that premium payout.
For anyone thinking about planting, Meikle's tip is sandy soil only, skip the clay entirely or go potted instead, and he threw in that blueberries pack solid antioxidants and vitamins too.
