WHY SUGAR BEAN PRODUCTION COULD BE YOUR ENTRY POINT INTO FARMING

Kick starting a farming venture is one feat that we cannot deem to be easy. A clear strategy on how you invest in your business is needed so that you remain focused on the main prize, profitability. One key element that shouldn’t be ignored when setting out a strategy for your farming enterprise is crop selection. This can be influenced by a number of factors which include financial resource availability, planting season, irrigation capacity and the target market. A crop with lower demand for start-up capital is a wise one especially for new farmers who might have a restrained budget. One crop that is a little easier on the pocket is Sugar Beans.

Sugar bean production is pretty lucrative with a good Return on Investment that hovers around $2-$3 for every dollar that is invested into the crop. The ability of the crop to be grown almost dependently on rainfall has an effect of cutting down on irrigation costs thus helping tone down some costs. Farmers who wish to establish a fully rain-fed crop should regularly refer to seasonal forecasts from the Meteorological department to help them to make wise decisions. In the Highveld, plantings start beginning of January up to mid-February. In the Lowveld however, plantings can be carried out up to April.

Market options for sugar beans are pretty wide which make the crop quite profitable to grow commercially given that yield levels are maximised. High levels of yield can be attained by following Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs) and using The Right Seed. GAPs such as soil conditioning and good land preparation, supplying the right nutrition as well as  keeping the field disease, pest and weed free can help push up yield to profitable levels. High plant populations of up to 200 000 plants per hectare are also necessary to achieve higher tonnages per hectare.

Utilization of the Right Seed also plays a major role in the pursuit of yield maximization. Use of certified seed is highly recommended if higher yield targets are to be achieved. Seed Co Vegetables offers 2 excellent red speckled sugar bean varieties which are SC Gadra and SC Ukulinga. SC Gadra is the earlier maturing of the two aforementioned varieties taking just 65 days to reach physiological maturity. This makes it ideal for late season plantings as well as for production in regions with lower rainfall potential. Yield is in excess of 2t/ha for SC Gadra. SC Ukulinga on the other hand matures in 90-100 days. Its major strength is its high yield potential of up to 3t/ha. NUA 45 is another sugar bean variety in the Seed Co Vegetables basket that is dominantly red with minimal cream speckles. This variety is biofortified with Zinc and Iron which make it a good addition to a healthy diet. A 90 day maturity coupled with a potential 3t/ha yield make this variety quite economically important.

Seed Co Vegetables has Agronomists in all the provinces of Zimbabwe. Feel free to get in touch with them for any sugar bean enquiries, agronomy tips and after sales support. For any quick Whatsapp enquiries, you can get in touch with the Digital Desk on +263 785 883 702.

Article By:

Francis B. Mapindani

Seed Co Vegetables Sales Agronomist – Mashonaland East

0778138897

 AND

Labyrinth Sibanda

Seed Co Vegetables Sales Agronomist – Mashonaland West & Mashonaland Central

0774664068