Land seizures continue in Zimbabwe despite this week’s formation of a new unity government. Interfresh, one of Zimbabwe’s largest citrus exporters, was forced off one of its most productive estates north of Harare by senior army and intelligence operatives and a Zanu-PF official.
Yarrowdale farm — a division of Interfresh’s Mazoe Citrus subsidiary — has about 480ha of arable land growing soya beans and seed maize. Interfresh issued a cautionary statement on Thursday warning shareholders of the seizure.
”The financial impact on the company, loss of employment and loss of food production in the event of total loss of this farm would be very significant,” it said. The company said a group drove through the farm last Saturday, harassing staff and demanding to see the estate’s manager. They claimed to have ”offer letters” — notes issued by the agriculture minister allowing beneficiaries to occupy land.
”They demanded that all the houses be vacated by the weekend of the February 14 and 15 for them to move in.”
There was no immediate comment from government officials. Under the power-sharing agreement, Zanu-PF will have control of agriculture.
This is not the first time Interfresh has lost estates to the land seizures.