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Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
AGRICULTURE, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister Responsible for Livestock, Paddy Zhanda, says the ailing Cold Storage Company (CSC) does not need a foreign investor to revamp its operations.
With increased concern over the demise of CSC, seen as a critical force in the growth of the livestock industry in the country, Zhanda says the parastatal should use its own assets to finance a turnaround strategy.
The Deputy Minister told Business Chronicle in Bulawayo last week on the sidelines of a poultry expo that a document detailing CSC’s growth strategy was in place.
“We’ve a final document that has a plan on how best we can revive CSC. The document is awaiting approval from the responsible authorities,” he said.
“The restoration of CSC doesn’t need an investor. We will use the resources we have and recapitalise CSC. It’s our desire as the ministry to see CSC fully operational so that we can create employment.”
Zhanda is on record as saying the government was working on crafting a new livestock policy which will spell out the strategies for increased livestock production.
Last year, he grilled CSC management for failing to come up with sound turn around plans and challenged the firm to think outside the box or risk being extinct.
The government has said it is not going to continue pumping money into parastatals such as CSC that fail to declare a dividend.
Zhanda said CSC needs to tap joint venture opportunities with the private sector and improve its ties with farmers to boost its business.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister said the government was aware of concerns over foot-and-mouth disease outbreak reports in Masvingo and parts of Matabeleland South.
“The situation is under control now. The government has looked into the issue and I’m glad to inform the nation there is no need to panic as we’ve it under control,” he said.
Zhanda urged farmers to seek training in order to avoid loss of livestock through preventable outbreaks.
“The government hasn’t played a good role in ensuring farmers are educated. It’s a situation that has to be looked into by the ministry. The stepping stone towards achieving that is including agriculture in our syllabus,” he said.
CSC has several abattoirs around the country and at its peak, it had a capacity to slaughter 600,000 cattle annually.
Online Reporter