Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, Zimpapers Business Hub
DIVERSIFIED manufacturer, Zimplow Holdings Limited has secured trade finance arrangements which have greatly enhanced stocking levels across the group in preparation of the 2025/2026 agriculture season.
This comes as the country’s preparations for the 2025-26 summer cropping season are underway, with the Government set to expand irrigation and tailor crop production to agro-ecological zones as part of efforts to boost climate resilience at household and national level.
In an unaudited financial statements for the half year ended 30 June 2025, Zimplow Board Chairman, Mr Benjamin Nkosentya Kumalo said the group was well positioned to reduce the operating loss suffered in the first half of the year.
“This is premised on the fact that the Group secured trade finance arrangements which have greatly enhanced stocking levels across the Group in preparation of the 2025/2026 agriculture season.”
He said the group continues to closely monitor developments in the operating environment accompanied by the implementation of the requisite risk management approaches to the said developments in a robust and timely manner in order to ensure business sustainability and growth.
Mr Kumalo said management will continue to undertake constant reviews and refinement of the group’s strategic risk landscape with focus on the provision of customer centric financing initiatives through banks as opposed to on-balance sheet customer lending.
“In addition, the group will continue to review its pricing models on an ongoing basis as well as the margins thereof, all of which will be anchored by an astute supply chain management regime,” he added.
He said he group recorded a loss before tax of US$718 499 in the first half of 2025 being 37 percent improvement from prior year loss of US$1 142 532 for the same period.
Mr Kumalo said the agriculture related business units demonstrated a marked improvement with a 59 percent loss reduction compared to prior year due to an encouraging 2024/2025 cropping season that witnessed an improvement in crop output and disposable income.
Group chief executive officer (CEO), Mr Willem Swan said grey imports of passenger tyres and small-scale agricultural equipment continued and impacted Trentyre and Mealie Brand’s viability, and as a result management rationalized staff numbers, reduced the product range and implemented strict cost control measures.
He said the second half of the year will focus on unlocking value from roup investments, improving working capital efficiency, and driving sustainable growth across all business units.
Sidumisile Mabena