Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
MATABELELAND South Province is ripe for investment as it presents various opportunities for viable manufacturing ventures, a senior official has said.
Provincial Affairs Minister, Ambassador Aaron Maboyi-Ncube, said Matabeleland South has the capacity to produce high grade goods for local consumption as well as exports.
He said it was disheartening that the province was churning out a lot of produce, which was being transported to other provinces and beyond borders for processing.
“The province has a variety of products that are being produced but no factories to process them. We have minerals being produced in the province, a lot of cattle but we don’t have factories to process these hides for different projects,” said Amb Maboyi-Ncube.
“There are a number of vegetable products and other natural resources, which could be processed locally. I would like to urge members of the business community to invest in establishing factories within the province.”
He said once products were processed locally they could be exported in order to develop the province.
“We have a number of big farms within the province that churn out a lot of produce such as tomatoes, vegetables, potatoes among others. These are all opportunities that could develop the province.
“Some of these farmers produce in bulk and when they fail to sell all their supplies locally on time they are disposed of because there are no factories,” said the minister.
Amb Maboyi said the province was endowed with natural resources such as gold that are being shipped out for the benefit of processing destinations. He also said there was a need to revive community irrigation schemes and establish new ones in order to ensure food security.
“While the province has natural resources, it also has good soils. Therefore, there is a need to develop community irrigation schemes and not only large scale irrigation schemes that are business oriented. This will go a long way in ensuring that we ensure food security within the province,” said the minister. — @DubeMatutu
Online Reporter