Ama-litchi sitjalo esithrophikhali esivela enarheni ye-China begodu sele alinywe enarheni leyo iminyakanyaka. Nanyana iSewula Africa, ngonyaka omuhle, iba hlangana kwenarha ezikhamba phambili ezilisumi ezikhiqiza ama-litchi ephasini lapha ikhiqiza khona amatani ayi-8 000, nanyana isisengemva khulu kwenarha ye-China ekhiqiza amatani ayi-200 000 yamatani, ekhabe kumkhiqizo wawo womyaka ka-2018.
Ukukhiqizwa Kwama-Litchi Eendaweni zeSewula Africa
Ama-litchi akhula kuhle eendaweni ezitjhisako, ezinobuswe begodu ezinganawo umbethe zemfunda ezithrophikhali eSewula Africa khulukhulu eencenyeni ezisepumalanga zeSewula Africa.
Emikhiqizweni yama-litchi weSewula Africa, i-60% ivela eendaweni ze-lowveld ezitjhisako zeMpumalanga kusukela emadorobeni we-Nelspruit, Hazyview kanye neMalelane. Enye i-38% yama-litchi weSewula Africa avela esifundeni seLimpopo e-Tzaneen ekuyindawo ekhamba phambili ngokukhiqiza ama-litjhi, amanye avela eendaweni ezifana nesifunda saKwaZulu-Natal.
Indawo epheleleko etjalwe ama-litchi eSewula Africa iyi-1124ha ngonyaka ka- 2016.
Isikhathi Sokuthela Kwama-Litchi eSewula Africa
Iskhathi sokuthela ama-litchi eSewula Africa sithoma phakathi kwakaKhukhulamungu eendaweni athela msinya seMalelane kanye ne-Komatipoort esifundeni seMpumalanga, lapha athela khona khulu ngoNobayeni siphele ekupheleni kwakaMhlolanja lapha iinthelo zikhiwa khona e-Nelspruit, Tzaneen kanye ne-Loius Trichardt.
Imbalobalo zama-Litchi Akhiqizwa eSewula Africa
Nakuthathwa iimbalobalo ezibuya eripotini yomnyango wezokulima i-Department of Agriculture, Forestry kanye ne-Fisheries (DAFF), iimaraga zama-litchi ezakhiqizwa ngonyaka ka-2017 zaveza kobana eminye yemikhiqizo yangonyaka gade iyi-8 411 yamatani, ekuyi-55% athunyelwa eenarheni zangaphandle i-32% kwenziwa ngayo ezinye izinto. Ukulinganiswa okuyi-13% kwathengiswa eemarageni seSewula Africa, amanengi wawo athengiswa bathengisa abangasisemthethweni.Amanye athunyelwa eenarheni zangaphandle i-90% yawo iye e-European Union, khulukhulu enarheni ye-Netherland.
Imali eyenziwa ngama-litjhi athunyelwa eenarheni zangaphandle yaba yi-R760 million. Iintjalo zawo zangonyaka ka-2018/2019 zabamatani ayi-4 800, ekwabikwa kobana ehlile ngebanga lobujamo bezulu egade bungasibuhle lokha nakathuthumbako, ukumila kwenthelo kanye nokuthuthuka kwazo eemfundeni lapha athela msinya zeMpumalanga.
Ukukhiqizwa Kwama-Litchi Ephasini Loke
I-96% yomkhiqizo wama-litchi eSewula Africa uvela enarheni ye-Northern Hemisphere enarheni ye-China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand kanye neNdiya ekuzinarha ezikhamba phambili ngokuwakhiqiza. I-China yinarha ekhamba phambili ephasini ngokukhiqiza ama-litchi begodu iletha i-70% yomkhiqizo ephasini loke.
I-Africa, Australia kanye ne-Madagascar bakhiqizi be-sourthen hemisphere. Inarha ye-Australia ikhiqiza ama-litchi iskhathi eside begodu ingakhiqiza ama-litchi kusukela ngoKhukhulamungu ukuya ekuthomeni kwakaSihlabantangana lokha i-Madagascar kuyinarha ekhamba phambili ngokukhiqiza ama-litchi enarheni ye-Europe. Ama-litchi amenengi we-Malagasy amila emthini okhula ube mkhulu begodu imithi leyo ayitjhwenywa zintjhabalalisi.
Umlando Wokulinywa Kwama-Litchi
Ama-litchi sitjalo semvelo sencenyeni zetjingalanga ze-China kanye ne-Vietnam begodu sele atjalwe enarheni leya iminyakanyaka. Asabalalela enarheni yeNdiya ngeminyaka yabo-1700 arhatjhekela epumalanga ngemva kokobana atholwe mamisionary we-China newe-Polish. Ukutjalwa kwama-litchi kwathoma enarheni ye-West Indies ngonyaka ka-1775 begodu khabe atjalwe kuma-greenhouse eBritheyini kanye ne-France ngonyaka yabo-1800.
Ama-litchi athulwa eSewula Africa ngeminyaka yabo-1870 abuya enarheni ye-Mauritius, lapha kukulapha ama-litchi atjalwa njenganje abuya khona. Umuthi wokuthoma wama-litchi watjalwa e-Botanical Gardens e-Durban wasatjalaliswa ukusukela lapho wasiwa eendaweni ezinganambethe esifundeni seMpumalangan neseLimpopo.
Ihlangano yabatjali bama-litchi yeSewula Africa/i-South Africa Litchi Growers' Association (SALGA) yatlanywa ngonyaka ka-1975 ngomncopho wokusekela irhubhululo elenziwe ngama-litchi, elisekela abatjali bawo ngelwazi eli-technical kanye nelemaraga zokuthuthukisa iimaraga ezitja zama-litchi.
Tranlslated by Busisiwe Prudance Skhosana