Mishma Chakanyuka, Staff Writer 
ARISTON Holdings (Ariston) continues to focus on improving production processes and product quality, as it aims to drive its export sales volumes.
In a trading update for the first quarter that ended December 31, 2022, the horticulture exporter’s company secretary Nkosilothando Ncube said increased export sales will translate to increased profitability, which mitigates against the effect of the low performance of the local market on the group’s financial well-being.
“In this current year, the group has increased its focus on improving tea quality … to grow export sales volumes as the local economy is expected to continue to face headwinds.
“This shift in focus will result in lower tea production than in prior year in terms of overall quantity, but will result in higher volumes of export grade teas than in the previous year,” Ncube said.
Ncube further highlighted that the automation processes that were implemented during the prior fiscal year are expected to continue yielding improved quality for both tea and macadamia nuts.
During the quarter, the group witnessed a 102 percent growth in local tea sales volumes as demand from local customers improved.
Export tea sales for the period grew by 229 percent, driven by a recovery in the global economy from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and an improvement in global shipping shortages compared to the same period in the prior year.
Although macadamia nut production increased, sales volumes decreased due to late exports in the previous period, which did not occur in the current year.
The group’s poultry segment recorded a reduction in the number of placements in the period under review, resulting in a decline in produced volumes. The reduction was due to the timing of placements.
Under the group’s other products, which consist of potatoes and bananas, banana production volumes recorded a 14 percent increase from the prior comparative period due to the heavier rains received during the first quarter. Concerning potatoes, Ncube noted that planting was delayed to avoid losses normally experienced when the fields are too waterlogged for harvesting.
“As a result of changes in the timing of potatoes, harvesting commenced in January 2023, whilst in the prior year, harvesting occurred in December. Thus, the timing difference resulted in a 32 percent decline in production volume as of December 31, 2022,” he said. newsdesk@fingaz.co.zw
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