adminGeorge Maponga in Masvingo
TONGAAT Hulett has announced plans to develop 4,000 hectares of virgin land at Hippo Valley and Triangle Estates into new cane fields for indigenous farmers at a cost of $40 million.The company said it will soon float tenders for the project expected to benefit 126 indigenous farmers. The move by Tongaat Hulett is a fulfilment of an undertaking the firm made to Government in 2012 as part of its obligations under the indigenous and empowerment laws.
Tongaat Hulett corporate communications manager Adelaide Chikunguru yesterday said the project would be spread over three years.
Chikunguru said the Masvingo provincial leadership led by Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Kudakwashe Bhasikiti had given them green light to embark on the project.
“Tongaat Hulett recently received sign-off from the provincial authorities to implement the conversion of 4,000ha of virgin land to sugar cane land at Hippo Valley and Triangle Estates and for settlement by new farmers.
“As an anchor development partner, Tongaat Hulett is ready to develop some 4,000 hectares of the project estimated at some $40 million,’’ she said.
She said preparations were now at an advanced stage.
“The project is divided into three phases and from a planning perspective we hope it will take us at least thirty-two to thirty six months to develop the land to crop establishment.
“Project roll out is at an advanced stage and Tongaat Hulett will shortly be inviting tenders to kick start the first phase,’’ said Chikunguru.
Prospective beneficiaries under this project were issued with offer letters by the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement in December 2012.
The project made many false starts in the past amid reports that some senior political leaders from Chiredzi were trying to change the list of beneficiaries which they claimed was dominated by people from outside Chiredzi district.
Online Reporter