Selebi Phikwe Citrus is the first and biggest horticulture and citrus project ever undertaken in Botswana.
It aims to deliver quality fruit from the heart of Africa, whilst having a positive social and environmental impact on the communities in which the fruit is produced.
The SPC Project is envisaged to become a model citrus development in the region and the flagship horticultural development of Botswana and is situated adjacent to the town of Selebi Phikwe in the South-east of Botswana.
The land is leased from the local Mmadinare community for 31 years, with an automatic renewal clause for an additional 50 years. Water supply comes from two dam reservoirs, the Letsibogo and Sashe dams. Electricity is provided by BPC, with backup generators available for pump stations and the packhouse.
The development covers a 1,500-hectare site, with citrus orchards and other fruits to be established between 2020 and 2025, in two phases. Based on the site’s specific climatic conditions, the orchards will be planted with a variety of citrus cultivars, including Mandarins, Valencia oranges, Lemons, and Grapefruit.
Labour is primarily be sourced from the Selebi Phikwe area, where a plentiful workforce is due to the liquidation of the BCL mines. The project will ultimately employ around 1,500 permanent and seasonal workers, significantly alleviating the unemployment crisis caused by the closure of the BCL mines.
