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(LUSAKATIMES) Lumuno Organic Farms clinches deal with Dutch firm

Lumuno Organic Farms clinches deal with Dutch firm
TIME PUBLISHED - Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 8:28 am

LUMUNO Organic Farms has entered into an agreement with Millet Place Company of Holland to grow teff which will be exported to Holland. Teff is an African whole grain, native to the arid lands of Ethiopia and it is both drought and flood resistant, making it the preferred crop for harsh environments.

Lumuno director Khama Mbewe said teff has a high nutritional value and is more profitable.

“We have entered into an agreement with Millet Place Company of Holland to grow teff which will be exported to Holland after harvest and we are currently carrying out trials for three months to see how the seed will adapt to Zambia,” he said.

He said if the trial of teff is successful, the firm will engage small-scale out-grower farmers to grow it and later buy it from them after harvest.

Mr Mbewe said the company has signed a five-year contract with the Millet Place company and that it’s the first time that it is being grown in central Africa.

He said the crop is easier to grow and that it is in the millet family of crops and the firm wants to introduce this new cash crop so that it helps to reduce the depence on maize as one of the major cash crops.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, ORGANICS

posted by MrK @ 3:40 PM