Katuka urges need to revamp Mwinilunga pineapple cannery
By Abigail Sitenge
Thu 17 May 2012, 09:00 CAT
MWINILUNGA member of parliament Steven Katuka has urged the government to accelerate the search for a partner to help revamp the pineapple cannery in Mwinilunga. In an interview, Katuka observed that a bigger part of the district was strictly pineapple-growing and yet it did not have a market for the produce.
"There isn't much that has happened; the government who were saying they were trying to find a partner have not found anyone yet. I don't know what ideas they have for that cannery. Mwinilunga is a pineapple growing district; part of Mwinilunga is strictly pineapple-growing, so the pineapple farm has no market for the produce," Katuka complained.
He appealed to the government to facilitate the search for a strategic partner to help reopen the factory despite the challenges of electricity in the district.
"We have been appealing to government to facilitate in finding a strategic partner who can reopen the cannery or just contract another one although there are challenges of power, you know Mwinilunga has erratic power supply, it's not sustainable," he said.
Katuka also bemoaned the poor road network in the district which he said contributed to investors shunning the area.
Meanwhile, commerce permanent secretary Steven Mwansa said the government was not in a hurry to refurbish the pineapple plant as it had to find a suitable private partner.
Mwansa, in an interview, said the government would activate the search for a good partner who will work with the farmers in Mwinilunga.
"We are giving the project maximum attention. We have got farmers there with very good pineapples, top quality pineapples which we would like to put value to, government is insisting on value addition to many of our raw materials and natural resources but we don't want to just rush into a place and say we have started off, we've got to work on the markets, we've got to work on sustainability of the project, the financing and a lot of things," said Mwansa.
Labels: MANUFACTURING, PINEAPPLE, STEPHEN KATUKA
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Mwinilunga considers engaging Chinese investor to revamp pineapple factory
Written by Agness Changala
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:30:57 AM
MWINILUNGA district commissioner Webster Samakesa has said his district is considering engaging the Chinese and other investors in revamping the pineapple cannery factory.
In an interview, Samakesa said the Chinese firm which was in the district with an investment of $ 3.6 billion in the mining sector was on the list of those they thought would invest in the cannery.
“We have extended our invitation to the private sector and a mining firm currently carrying out exploration works in the district is one of them on the list,” he said.
Samakesa said it was not right that pineapple farmers continue to depend on tracks to buy their products saying it was discouraging to them.
He also called on other investors to consider investing in Mwiinilunga to revive its economy.
Samakesa said his district and Chinese investors had discussed the issues of corporate social responsibility and they would not allow mistreatment of workers by any investor.
He said it was their hope that the Chinese would comply and stick to what they agreed upon during their discussions even as they go to invest there.
And Samakesa has bemoaned the high levels of illiteracy in Mwinilunga, saying there was need for more schools to be built.
He said the poor road infrastructure, coupled with inadequate supply of power, was making life difficult for the residents.
Samakesa said the fact that Mwinilunga depended on generators for power was a major hindrance to the development of the district.
He said since the generator was taken to Ndola for repair two years ago, it had never been taken back.
“We have been told that it was taken to South Africa but all I can say is that we have to ask for new machines than wait for the one that has taken too long to be repaired,” said Samakesa.
Labels: CHINESE, PINEAPPLE
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Freshmot invests K100m in pineapple outgrower scheme
By Kabanda Chulu
Monday March 24, 2008 [11:00]
FRESHMOT Zambia has invested K100 million for the development of a pineapple out grower scheme in Mwinilunga that will involve over 1,000 small-scale farmers. Company managing director Moses Tamele said Freshmot is currently negotiating with a South African firm to set up a joint venture to revive the pineapple industry in the district. Tamele explained the venture was part of the preparations for the revival of the Mwinilunga pineapple processing factory.
“The main objective at this stage is to ensure that the proposed fruit processing plant has sufficient raw materials for processing into a wide range of pineapple products and Freshmot plans to identify potential out grower farmers in the North Western and as well as the Copperbelt provinces,” he said.
He said that hundreds of tonnes of pineapples go to waste every year in the country due to difficult marketing conditions and the absence of any fruit processing facilities.
The Mwinilunga pineapple project was established in the early 1970s by the Kaunda government in an attempt to bring development to the North Western Province.
However, the factory could not survive the harsh liberalised economic environment after government stopped funding and earmarked it for privatisation.
Labels: CONTRACT FARMING, FRESHMOT ZAMBIA, PINEAPPLE
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