Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Business Reporter
THE imminent re-opening of meat processor, Cold Storage Company (CSC), has brought hope to the economy as down and upstream industries will benefit as well through vast employment opportunities.
Zimbabwe’s largest meat processor and marketer is being revamped after the Government in 2019 signed a US$400 million Joint Venture Farming Concession Agreement with Boustead Beef Zimbabwe, a United Kingdom-based investor.
Through the investor, the meat processor and marketer, which is scheduled to re-open next month for the first time in 20 years, is now under new management with the firm now called CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe.
Speaking to Business Chronicle, an economic commentator Mr Morris Mpala said the re-opening of the Bulawayo headquartered company would bring economic boom across the value chain through value addition.
He said all other downstream and upstream entities will benefit from the re-opening of CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe.
“Along the CSC value chain, there is a lot to benefit which will boost the economy as up and down stream industries will be benefitting through getting their inputs there and also supplying the company with required inputs, which will create business to other entities,” Mr Mpala.
“Leather industries, stockfeed suppliers and cleaning chemicals suppliers who will supply or get inputs from CSC-Boustead Beef will benefit and this alone will create thousands of jobs and also bring the economy to life”.
Bulawayo recorded strong business momentum in 2021, a development expected to spur life into many of the industries across the value chain that in recent years faced closure on the back of economic challenges.
Mr Mpala added that the re-opening of CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe would also promote infrastructure development and growth of the transport and logistics sector as transporters will also be needed to move goods.
“This improvement is not cosmetic as it brings benefits to almost every important sector of the economy.
“Of note was the value addition that comes with these operations it made me think value addition should be compulsory in all operations,” he said.
Mr Mpala recently visited the meat processor and marketer’s Bulawayo factory and what he saw proved beyond doubt that by the end of this month, the giant company will be up and running.
“As a business analyst, I visited CSC and observed that all the major components at the factory are now in place including the condenser.
“They are now doing final touches, come end of March, the company will start functioning,” he said. Another economic analyst Mr Reginald Shoko who is also CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe consultant said value addition is a great strategy towards industrial development.
“What CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe will be doing now is proper value addition and will not be meat only, but we will be looking at how we will value add hides into something and the whole idea is to make sure that leather is accessible to everyone,” he said.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) immediate past national vice president Mr Golden Muoni said they are waiting for the giant company to see light of the day as its operations would impact positively to the economy.
He said its value chain and value addition will reduce imports of other goods like leather products and promote growth of the leather industry will create many jobs.
“Imagine if all the leather from CSC can be processed and produce quality leather products here, how many people will be employed? Many people will get jobs and also people will buy our quality products here rather than buying shoes and belts from other countries,” said Mr Muoni.
On the issue to promoting the value chain and value addition, Mr Muoni said the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is conducting value chain workshops, which have already started in Harare while similar events will be conducted in Bulawayo next week. — @SikhulekelaniM1
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