Kapiri-based vegetable farmer making K12,000 profit per month from Chibwabwa

A Kipiri Mposhi-based vegetable farmer has revealed […]

A Kipiri Mposhi-based vegetable farmer has revealed that he makes about K12,000 in profit from pumpkin leaves, locally known as Chibwabwa, in a month.

Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Mainza Collins Bwembya said he currently has 50 metres by 100 metres of Chibwabwa under production after investing approximately K6,000 into the crop.

Bwembya indicated that the initial investment covered land preparation, seed, fertilizer and crop protection, with land preparation costing K700, five medas of seed costing K1,000, basal dressing K1,100, 2 bags of ammonium nitrate K1,800, and insecticides about K600.

 “I started farming vegetables such as Chibwabwa back in 2022 after noticing there were few farmers who grew Chibwabwa on a large scale throughout the year and the demand was high at the market,” he said.

 The farmer explained that Chibwabwa provides multiple harvesting opportunities, with the crop harvested every seven to 10 days and capable of producing approximately eight harvests from the same plant under suitable conditions.

 Bwembya added that his current production can reach 2,200 bunches in 10 days during a good harvest, with each bunch selling for approximately K5, translating into about K10,400 in sales per harvest cycle.

“After sales and when I remove expenditure and transport, I remain with about K6,000 profit in 10 days,” he said.

Bwembya told ZBT that his main markets are on the Copperbelt, particularly Ndola Main Masala Market, Kitwe’s Chamboli Market and Nakadoli Market, where he said demand remains strong enough to absorb more than 2,000 bunches in a single day.

“Chibwabwa is very profitable and someone is able to make a living and regard it as a business so I am encouraging farmers to treat vegetable production as a commercial enterprise rather than simply subsistence farming,” he said.

 However, the farmer said climate change and limited access to loans remain among the major challenges affecting his expansion, particularly as vegetable production requires reliable water, inputs and continuous investment.

Bwembya urged young people, women and other aspiring farmers to consider vegetable production, stating that the sector can provide regular income when farmers identify reliable markets and manage production costs carefully.

Article by Philip Sinkala