Marketing of Indigenous Fruits in Southern Africa - Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization - page 230

Table 12.1. Marketing margins (Z$/kg) for the sale of Uapaca kirkiana fruits.

Murehwa market Gokwe market Mbare market

Variable Producer Retailer Producer Retailer Producer Wholesaler Retailer

Price or revenue/kg 3.17 9.90 3.23 10.24 5.07 5.24 11.17

Total cost/kg 1.44 3.44 1.45 3.52 1.73 4.77 7.14

Profit 1.73 6.46 1.78 6.72 3.34 0.47 4.03

Absolute marketing 6.73 7.01 6.10 0.17 5.93

margin
Relative marketing 32.02 31.54 45.39 1.52 53.09

margin (%)

US$1 = Z$50 in 1999/2000.
Producer absolute marketing margin = retailer price producer price.
Retailer absolute marketing margin = retailer price wholesaler price.
Wholesaler absolute marketing margin = wholesaler price producer price.
Wholesaler relative marketing margin = wholesaler price producer price/retailer price 100.
Retailer relative marketing margin = retailer price wholesaler price/retailer price 100.
Source: Ramadhani (2002).

because the major source of U. kirkiana and S. cocculoides fruits for the
markets is the communal forests. Access to indigenous fruits and trees located
in the communal forests near villages, fields and homesteads is a fundamental
aspect and needs a closer look. This is because lack of access might negatively
influence support for the development of the fruit markets.
Because guidelines on property and user rights regarding indigenous fruits
are not clear, traditional chiefs have imposed informal rules which allow only
home consumption of indigenous fruits. Selling indigenous fruits is strictly
prohibited. The rules are backed up by the traditional attitude that the fruits are
a gift from God and are therefore meant for consumption by the whole
community. The lack of rules that clearly specify the ownership and user rights
for the trees and fruits imposes difficulties in managing and controlling the use
of the fruits. Since the fruits are a common resource they are being overused.
Traditional village leaders help to manage and conserve the fruit trees by
practising the old taboos and beliefs, but this leads to much uncertainty for
traders. These findings suggest that efforts to commercialize indigenous fruits in
Zimbabwe need to take account of the ownership and use regulations relating
to indigenous fruit trees and fruits.

12.4 Consumers and Buyers of Indigenous Fruits in Zimbabwe

For the purpose of this study, consumers were individuals who collected fruits
for consumption from their farms or communal forests, but buyers were those
who buy the fruits from the markets. The former were individuals living in the
rural areas, while the latter mostly lived in urban areas. In order to be able to
formulate an appropriate marketing strategy for indigenous fruits, there was a