President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday officially opened
the $40 million Willowton Group’s refinery plant in Mutare and commended the
company for responding to Government’s call for beneficiation of agricultural
produce.
The ceremony was attended by senior Government officials
and others drawn from the Mutare business community and across the country. The
company manufactures soap and cooking oil although there are plans to venture
into candles, margarine and rice production.
“I would like to heartily congratulate Willowton Group
following their bold and perceptive decision to invest in Zimbabwe. This new
facility is indeed a demonstration of the confidence you have shown in our
trade and investment climate,” President Mnangagwa said.
He said the entry of Willowton into the local market had
brought healthy competition and was in sync with Government’s calls for
decentralisation.
“This huge investment complements Government’s calls for
value addition and beneficiation of our primary produce from the agricultural
sector, such as soya beans and sunflower among others. Furthermore, this
initiative is in line with the country’s economic policy which recognises the
role of foreign direct investment and revival as it results in modern
technology, new expertise, management practices and leadership skills,” said
Cde Mnangagwa
The President said the event had been preceded by the
commissioning of Nestle’ Zimbabwe’s state of the art Cremora filling and
packaging plant and exposed the many opportunitites in the manufacturing
sector.
“This is a very good example and success story of import
substitution with the ‘Proudly made in Zimbabwe’ products. In this regard, I
exhort the Buy Zimbabwe campaign team to scale up their drive and encourage the
purchase of locally produced products in line with our thrust to resuscitate
and re-industrialise our manufacturing sector.
“Furthermore, we should continue to eanerstly pursue our
local content policy and develop agro-value chains which increase capacity
utilisation and broaden the economic space through greater involvement of SMEs
and entrepreneurs,” President Mnangagwa said.
He urged players in the oil expressing sector to develop
well resourced soya bean outgrower schemes to increase the supply of requisite
raw material.
“My Government, on its part, will continue to support the
production of this essential raw material through the Command Soya Bean
Production Programme,” he said.
The President reiterated that Zimbabwe was ready to engage
other investors to achieve economic growth.
“As you are aware, numerous business delegations from
across the world have shown great interest to invest in Zimbabwe, the latest
being about 60 business executives in Kigali, Rwanda we met on the sidelines of
the AU Summit on Wednesday this week.
The President is shown some of the company’s products as he
tours the plant yesterday
The President is shown some of the company’s products as he
tours the plant yesterday
“This is indeed ample testimony of the bright future ahead
and the potential of our great nation,” President Mnangagwa said. He said
Zimbabwe had so far received at least $7 billion in investment commitments
since the coming in of the new dispensation, way above the $400 million that
the country got annually under the old Government.
“My Government will continue to eliminate all investment
impediments, bureaucratic bottlenecks, public sector lethargy, deliberate
inefficiencies and corruption. Zimbabwe is open for business in all and every
facet, for the ultimate good of the generality of the citizens of Zimbabwe.
“Whoever, by whatever means, decides to stand in the way,
will definitely fall by the wayside,” warned the President.
Willowton Group chief executive officer Mr Bruce Henderson
encouraged other players to invest in Zimbabwe.
“This is the type of investment we seek to encourage here
in Zimbabwe, world class brands for Zimbabwe and the region,” he said.
Mr Henderson said they came to Zimbabwe in 2014 and
production at the plant began in 2016. The company is producing 6 000 tonnes of
cooking oil, 5 000 tonnes of green bar soap and 1 000 tonnes of beauty soap per
month. Herald
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