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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Reporter
A MASSIVE US$30 million state-of-the-art bakery plant by confectionery giant Baker’s Inn is set to start production of 200 000 loaves per day in Bulawayo in two months’ time with installation work now 90 percent complete.
The project was launched in 2017 as a direct reaction to market demands which had seen Baker’s Inn being forced to bring in an additional 40 000 loaves from Harare on a daily basis as it battled to meet local demand.
At the moment 120 000 loaves are being produced daily.
Several firms in Bulawayo are installing additional production lines to increase capacity utilisation and are riding on the ease of doing business reforms implemented by the Second Republic under the leadership of President Mnangagwa.
President Mnangagwa
There are also fiscal support incentives and enhanced access to foreign currency through the Forex Auction System.
In her post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet received reports on progress made in the implementation of priority projects for the first 100-Day Cycle of 2023 from Ministers of Industry and Commerce, Finance and Economic Development; Transport and Infrastructural Development and Energy and Power Development.
Minister Monica Mutsvangwa
“The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable Dr Sekai Nzenza, reported on progress on the projects under her purview as follows, the installation of a US$30 million state-of-the-art Bakery Plant in Bulawayo by Baker’s Inn is 90 percent complete. The bakery will be the biggest in Zimbabwe, and will be producing 200 000 loaves per day,” she said.
“The resuscitation of David Whitehead Textiles in Chegutu has reached 40 percent of completion, with state-of-the-art spinning and weaving machinery in place. The project will employ up to 1 100 persons when complete.”
Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza
Minister Mutsvangwa said the refurbishment of the tar production plant at Zimchem in Kwekwe has reached 85 percent completion, while the expansion and modernisation of the Margarine Plant at Olivine Industries in Harare metropolitan province is almost ready for commissioning.
She said the local production of margarine will reduce the volume of imports.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the installation of a US$5 million Margarine Plant at Willowton in Mutare has reached 85 percent and will produce up to 150 tonnes of margarine per day when complete and will create employment for 50 people.
“The plant at Buffalo Brewing Company in Stapleford in Mashonaland West province is functional, and His Excellency the President will soon commission the US$11 million plant,” she said.
Government has pledged that going forward, more attention will be given to ailing companies and resuscitating some of the closed operations.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube said Bakers Inn’s bakery is expected to start operations in the next two months.
Professor Mthuli Ncube
He said industries have enormously benefited from friendly government policies and are expanding operations and added that the rate of growth of 2,5 percent predicted this year might actually have been an underestimate.
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