Productivity Analysis of Smallholder Out-Grower Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Farming in Chipinge District of Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study examined the productivity of smallholder out-grower tea (Camellia Sinensis) farming and its determinants in Chipinge district of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's smallholder tea production has steadily plummeted in recent years, despite there being a ready export market and a support system that provides inputs and extension services. Smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe are perceived to dis-adopt tea production enterprise as an out-grower scheme in preference to annual crops like sweet potatoes, sugar beans, maize, bananas and horticultural crops. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to a random sample of 50 out-grower tea farmers of Tanganda Tea Company's Rattelshoek estate. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgets and Multiple Regression Model. The obtained results showed that out-grower tea mean area under tea is 1.2 hectares with yields ranging from 312 Kg/ha to 3188 Kg/ha. This means the highest yielding farmers are achieving less than half the potential and expected tea yields of 8000 Kg/ha. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the farmer experience, farmer education level, level of fertilizer application, access to extension services, extent of commercializa- tion, and the size of the available labor pool positively and significantly affects the productivity of smallholder out-grower tea farming in the study area. Area under tea production negatively and significantly affects smallholder out-grower tea productivity. The study results imply that improved access to extension services, fertilizer and labour can significantly increase smallholder out-grower tea productivity.