adminact as the main source of information that would be used to compile the manufacturing survey, a document that will be launched and circulated among all stakeholders.
An official who preferred to remain anonymous said that process had been affected by internal problems but declined to disclose the nature of the problems.
However, when contacted for a comment CZI chief economist Mrs Lorraine Chikanya said they would be distributing the questionnaires for the survey this month and the results would be released in October.
“These will be distributed to manufacturing companies across the country,” she said.
In June this year CZI chief executive officer Mr Clifford Sileya told the media that they were optimistic that they would be an improvement in capacity utilisation
“We hope this year it will increase by at least 10 percent although the economy is still affected by major constraints such as erratic power supplies and lack of liquidity in the economy,” he said.
The manufacturing survey is produced annually to give indication of the manufacturing sector as well as highlight the challenges that the sector is facing.
The survey also proffers suggestions to policyholders on what is required to enhance production in the sector.
Capacity utilisation in the local manufacturing sector has been on the increase since the adoption of the multicurrency regime, favourable macro-economic policies and
the liberalisation of the economy by the Government in 2009.
In 2009, Government targeted to increase capacity utilisation in the manufacturing from an average of 10 to 60 percent by end of the year.
In its industrial manufacturing survey report for 2011, the industry representative body reported that capacity utilisation over the past two years had increased to 57,2 percent.
The 60 percent target is yet to be realised due to constraints such as intermittent power supplies, aged plant equipment, as well as liquidity crunch to simulate production. At the end of 2009, production levels in the manufacturing sector increased to 33 percent while in 2010 it surged to 43 percent.
As part of their efforts to address some of the challenges stifling productivity, individual companies have to a certain extent negotiated with Zesa for ring-fenced power tariffs.
However, CZI has expressed concern over ring fencing electricity tariffs saying although under the system firms were guaranteed uninterrupted power supplies, the mechanism was expensive.
Although some individual firms have negotiated for offshore credit lines to address liquidity challenges, lack of foreign direct investment has also been one of the fundamentals hindering economic growth prospects and productivity in the economy.
Online Reporter
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