Industry and Commerce minister Mike Bimha says his ministry plans to link 200 small-to-medium enterprises in tomato production to food processing companies by April 10. “This project is on target and we are well on track,” he told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce yesterday.
BY KUDZAI MUCHENJEKWA
“Our biggest thrust is not only to look at SMEs, which will die as SMEs, but SMEs that will grow into bigger corporates.”
In terms of progress in the SME tomato production project, 121 tomato producing farmers in Manicaland have signed supply contracts with one of the leading companies in Zimbabwe Cairns Food as of last Sunday.
The farmers, who have signed the contracts, are undergoing training, he said.
Bimha said his ministry was engaged in several projects, which would revive the country’s economy and create employment.
Among the projects that the ministry is undertaking is the facilitation of soya bean value-addition projects, which will see the country importing less crude oil per week than the $5 million it is presently importing.
“Some of the other projects are on the 200-day plan, but it does not mean that we are going to wait until April 10 to implement them, but they are already in the pipe line,” Bimha said.
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He said the ministry ushered the motor vehicle development policy, which is aiming at gradually empowering the local assembly plants like Willowvale and Quest Motors, which, in turn, creates employment and which would see the revival of local assemblers.
