adminNgoni Dapira
NEARLY $700 000 that was being used in the importation of breakfast beans will now be contained in the country following the re-launch of the pea bean out-grower programme by Cairns Foods at Cashel Valley, Chimanimani. The launch was coupled with the rebranding launch of its signature Cashel Valley baked beans range.
Cairns Foods operations manager, Mr Joseph Mavhu, said the out-grower programme would propel the ongoing Buy Zimbabwe initiative and help reduce the country’s import bill.
“As Cairns, pea beans are an essential raw material for our Cashel Valley baked beans range. We have decided to empower our local farmers and circulate money within the country rather than to import the pea beans,” said Mr Mavhu.
He said in their days of low production following the dollarisation of the economy in 2009, the firm was importing the product from Ethiopia and Malawi. They were using $300 000 to import the beans and the figure rose to $700 000 following an increase in its capacity utilisation.
“Such money will go a long way to boost the local agricultural sector as we guarantee farmers with a reliable market and provide them with the necessary inputs as our contract farmers,” he said.
The out-grower scheme is being revived after having been stopped in 2007 due to economic hardships which saw the firm being put under judicial management in 2012.
Manicaland will get 500 hectares out of the 800 hectares earmarked for the national out-grower programme.
The programme will be spread to Chimanimani, Chipinge, Buhera and Nyanga.
Other provinces benefiting under the same scheme include Mashonaland East, Masvingo, Mashonaland West and Midlands.
About 1 100 households are set to benefit from the scheme in Manicaland, while 660 more in the four other provinces will also be supported.
Mr Mavhu said the launch at Cashel Valley was symbolic of the deep entrenched connection between Cairns and the Cashel Valley, which is the cradle of their trade mark Cashel Valley baked beans, dating back to 1955.
Cairns Holding chief executive officer, Ms Nancy Guzha, urged contracted farmers to produce quality crop and to shun side-marketing.
She assured out-grower farmers that Cairns Holdings through its new investor, Takura Capital had secured enough money to pay for the produce promptly.
The company will buy a kilogramme for 80cents or $800 per tonne.
Mrs Guzha said the price was fair considering that they used to import the pea beans at price ranging from 84 cents to $1,20 per kg, including duty levies.
“Due to the hyper-inflation environment in 2007, we failed to continue running the out-grower programme, but we have re-launched it and we are determined to see through the programme since we got financial boost from our new investor. We have now come out of the judicial management and this is a sign of the company’s renewed drive,” said Ms Guzha.
Minister of Energy and Power Development, Dr Samuel Undenge, said the initiative would revive the Cashel Valley area into a green belt as well as propel Zim-Asset and the 10-Point Plan.
He hailed an earlier cement gesture by the First Lady, Dr Amai Grace Mugabe, which was used to reline dilapidated canals.
Minister of State for Manicaland Affairs, Cde Mandi Chimene, said the out-grower programme was proactive to turnaround the economy and empowering rural communities.
“We need such concerted efforts to rejuvenate our manufacturing industry and agricultural sector. We can create win-win situations and achieve industrialisation through such strategic initiatives such as out-grower programmes,” she said.
Online Reporter