Zimbabwe is retracing its footsteps in the EU markets, with a local firm having injected over US$6,5 million, part of which is being used to refurbish a cold room facility at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare. The Selby company in Mazowe district is now growing, processing and doing value addition to about 14 products including blueberries, cherry peppers, chillies and peas.
At its peak, more than 1700 workers are employed at the firm which is also canning products such as beans, tomatoes and fruit jam. Director Adam Selby said two years ago, they started with 10 hectares of blueberries and now they have extended to 32 hectares with the immediate target being to reach 50 hectares.
"The investment to date is around US$3 million not only for blueberries, but we have invested a lot in other crops, setting up the land so that it meets European Union and global gap standards. We need to conform to those pretty rigorous requirements. We have got a canning factory, new high tech equipment worth US$3,5 million that is going to revolutionize the ability of Zimbabwe to compete regionally and even further with a whole range of products. We will focus on tomato and baked beans products," he said.
Source: herald.co.zw