The global market for fruits and vegetables is projected to reach over US$370 billion by end of next year. It is a huge market with so much money to be made. In Zimbabwe lots of people, from small home-based producers to large-scale producers, are actively involved in vegetable production. Some are solely focused on just the production whereas some are solely focused on sourcing and selling. There are also huge largely untapped prospects in value addition. If vegetables are your thing here are some profitable vegetables to grow in Zimbabwe.

Tomatoes

I have done articles on tomato farming several times. I have even included practical projections of money you can make from tomato farming. I highly recommend farming tomatoes using greenhouses. That way you stand to enjoy more, high-quality yields which means more profits. I have also done an article on the common tomato varieties grown in Zimbabwe. One of the most talked-about is the Trinity variety. In a greenhouse measuring 8 metres by 25 metres, you can harvest over 10 tonnes of tomatoes. This will earn roughly US$22 000 in gross revenue so this is worth a try.

Green Vegetables

Green vegetables represent a wide array of vegetables. Some of the common examples are covo, cabbage, spinach, and rape, amongst others. Such vegetables form a huge part of the Zimbabwean diet daily. The great thing about such vegetables is that they can be successfully propagated through the greenhouse or otherwise. This means with proper management you can still realize bumper harvest through open-field farming.

Microgreens

I have covered microgreens before and it is an area that is relatively new in Zimbabwe. Microgreens are young vegetables typically 2.5 to 7.5 centimetres in height. Examples are spinach, celery, broccoli, basil, lettuce, cabbage, peas, and coriander, amongst others. On average, 450 grams of mature microgreens can go for about US$50 – that is good money. One of the key target markets is upmarket restaurants. Microgreens are harvested after about at most 14 days or so. Microgreens are a very lucrative and promising farming segment in Zimbabwe. They require little to zero soil or water which makes the venture very easy to start.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are also another profitable farming venture to settle for. It is not that capital intensive and can be done effectively in a small room or shaded area. What makes mushrooms appealing is their place as a healthy substitute for meat. There is a huge market segment of people who do not or no longer eat meat for health reasons. Some do not eat meat for religious reasons. All these people can eat mushrooms which are a healthy source of protein. So indoor mushroom farming is a worthwhile and profitable venture. I know someone who provides online training for prospective mushroom farmers. You can contact them on +263 785 075 136.

Green Beans

These are also referred to as fine beans – sugar beans are quite popular in Zimbabwe. Green beans sell extremely well in Zimbabwe because they are affordable for many. They are also a solid source of protein which is why most families buy them. They are also a good source of vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre. They are ready for harvest after about 60 to 75 days. You can harvest about 15 tonnes of green beans per hectare. Profits can be at least 20 per cent hectare so it is a lucrative farming venture.

Peppers

This is a broad class that constitutes over 20 different types of peppers. Most of you are familiar with bell peppers also known as sweet peppers. Other types include banana peppers, piquillo peppers, cherry peppers, shishito peppers, hatch peppers, poblano peppers, and freshno peppers, amongst others. They are widely used in food preparation so they have a broad market.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are perfect here because they are widely consumed in Zimbabwe. About 50 per cent of Zimbabweans consume cucumbers regularly. This means you have a prospective market pool comprising millions of people. Let us suppose you propagate them in 8 metres by 25 metres greenhouse. You can harvest at least 12000 cucumbers from it. This translates into gross revenue of about US$6000 which is a great return on investment.

Carrots

The importance of carrots almost or more or less is in the class of cucumbers. They are widely consumed by most Zimbabweans either raw or cooked. They have substantial nutritional value i.e. they contain Vitamins A, B, and C plus fibre and other essential minerals. Anything from 20 tonnes upwards can be harvested per hectare. Profits per hectare can be at least US$2000.

Onions

You can also choose to settle for onions. In Zimbabwe, the common varieties are the king onions and the spring onions. They are used daily by most families. This is what makes them a good vegetable farming focus is given such a huge market.

For maximum results, it is best to use modern farming approaches. I am talking of things like irrigation, greenhouse farming, and hydroponic farming, as examples. These approaches enable you to capitalize on several variables such as limited space and erratic natural weather conditions. Let me reiterate, there is much more value in value addition i.e. processing. I have done some articles on how to process some of these crops. Additionally, there are more prospects in targeting the export market. Do not just think about the local market and just selling raw produce. Happy farming!