Fruit processing plant for Manicaland

Cletus Mushanawani
News Editor

GOVERNMENT is carrying out research aimed at creating a fruit processing plant in Chimanimani as part of its efforts to industrialise rural areas.

This was revealed by President Mnangagwa while addressing thousands of Zanu PF supporters at Kopa Ground in Chimanimani on Wednesday.

Chimanimani, like most parts of the Eastern Highlands, is a horticulture and citrus fruit hub and has potential to house a thriving processing and beneficiation plant which will create thousands of direct and downstream jobs to locals.

“There are a lot of fruits produced in this area, ranging from pineapples, avocado pears, macadamia nuts, bananas and many others. Research is being carried out with the aim of establishing a processing plant in Chimanimani. This is being done with the assistance of innovation hubs at our universities.

“We want to industrialise our rural areas to stop rural to urban migration. Everything should be processed and value added at our doorsteps. We should not export jobs and money to cities, yet we are blessed with all the necessary resources,” said President Mnangagwa.

He added: “We want a situation where a child who is born in Chief Muusha’s area finds no reason of migrating to other areas in search of employment. That child should have his education from primary to tertiary in his or her area of birth. After graduating, the same child should be able to secure employment from the rural industries that we would have created.

‘‘We want to develop rural economies that will significantly contribute to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We recently launched an Amarula Fruit Processing and Value Addition Plant at Rutenga Growth Point in Masvingo Province, and this should cascade to all provinces leveraging on the available resources.”

Turning to roads, the President said Government would ensure that all roads in the district that were affected by the devastating March 2019 Cyclone Idai were rehabilitated.

“I have tasked the local legislator, Cde Joshua Sacco and Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona to work together and identify all the remaining roads to be attended to. We will avail all the necessary resources to ensure that we have the best road network in Chimanimani and Chipinge.

“I have never been to this part of the country before, but I am happy with the workmanship which was done here. We want sustainable development,” said President Mnangagwa.

Other roads earmarked for refurbishment in Chimanimani include Kopa-Machongwe, Machongwe-Rusitu Mission, Chimanimani-Cashel Valley and Kopa-Vimba roads.

On the commissioned Jopa-Kopa Road, President Mnangagwa said: “I am happy to be here commissioning this Jopa-Kopa Road which had taken decades for it to be tarred. After Cyclone Idai ravaged this area and the issue of this road was brought to my attention, I did not hesitate to give a nod to its refurbishment.

“This is a very important road to the people of Chimanimani and Chipinge, especially farmers as they can easily take their produce to the market. They can now have easy access to medical facilities.

“This road is just a marvel and the volume of traffic plying this road has significantly improved, bringing relief to the locals who over the years were subjected to exorbitant fares by motorists.”

President Mnangagwa also said Government was working towards bringing closure to the unaccounted for Cyclone Idai victims through the enacting of a Deceased Persons Statutory Instrument next year.

“March next year will mark three years after the Cyclone Idai disaster. We know that we still have so many people unaccounted for and their estates are still to be registered. Some of the victims were swept away and buried in Mozambique. Our experts are working on the DNAs of the victims to help to positively identify them.

“Usually it takes five years to declare a missing person dead, but next year we will come up with a Statutory Instrument that will reduce the years to three so that we can bring closure to this issue.

“We have been receiving so many calls from relatives of the missing persons appealing to us to intervene and we will ensure that all the legal processes will be followed,” said President Mnangagwa.