French beans are a high-value export vegetable and fresh market crop grown under irrigation in Zimbabwe. They are one of the country's top vegetable exports to the EU.
55
Days to Maturity
8–15 tonnes/ha
Typical Yield
Moderate
Water Need
Low
Drought Tolerance
Optimal Soil Types
pH Range: 6 – 7
Well-drained, fertile loamy soils with good organic matter. Sensitive to waterlogging and root rot. Avoid heavy clay soils.
Fertilizer: Compound L 200kg/ha basal. Minimal nitrogen top-dress — beans fix nitrogen. Boron foliar spray at flowering improves pod uniformity.
Optimal Temp: 18–24°C
Rainfall: 0–700mm/year
Climate Zones
Drip or furrow irrigation. Apply 25–35mm per week. Critical at flowering and pod fill. Avoid wetting foliage to reduce disease.
21°C
overcast clouds
Harare
27%
Humidity
13
km/h Wind
21–21°C
Min / Max Today
5-Day Forecast
Fri
21°
21°
Sat
31°
17°
Sun
32°
17°
Mon
33°
19°
Tue
34°
20°
French Beans optimal climate: Temp: 18–24°C°C0
Planting Months
Harvesting Months
Planting Depth: 3–5 cm
Spacing: 60cm rows × 8–10cm plants (bobby/fine beans)
Material: Certified bean seed
Provinces
Natural Regions
Symptoms: Swollen stem base, tunnelling, young plant death
Management: Imidacloprid seed treatment; early sowing; soil insecticide at planting
Symptoms: Black colonies on growing tips, leaf curl, virus spread
Management: Dimethoate spray; remove heavily infested plants; reflective mulch
Symptoms: Silvery pod scarring, reduced export grade
Management: Spinosad spray; blue sticky traps
Symptoms: Angular grey-brown lesions on leaves and pods
Management: Mancozeb spray; crop rotation; resistant varieties
Symptoms: Orange-brown pustules, rapid defoliation
Management: Triazole fungicide; resistant varieties; avoid wet foliage
Symptoms: Sunken dark lesions on pods
Management: Certified seed treatment; copper spray; crop rotation
Governed Product Guidance
Crop-specific product selection, application rates, mixing, timing and treatment guidance for French Beans are available only through ZEF's governed production-agronomy workflow after country readiness and product/regulatory approval.
EU export (premium fine beans), fresh local market, food processing (canning, frozen), food service
Export Potential:
Cultivation Guide
Step-by-step guide tailored to French Beans in Zimbabwe
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