It is almost a year since the Matebeleland Agricultural Business Chamber (MABC) was transformed from a mere figment of my imagination to a palpable reality. I cannot over-emphasise the controversies that ensued soon after the inaugural meeting on 24 April last year. Prophets of doom foretold its demise at conception, but that only helped to test the strength of the idea. The MABC concept is based on the value chain approach. It recognises that all players involved in a product from the farm to the consumer have vested interests.

Thokozani Ndlovu

Farming Reporter

FARMERS in the four districts of Matabeleland North have targeted to plant 470,25 hectares of wheat crop this year, a decrease from a target of 539,8 hectares last year which was, however, not achieved.

Farming Reporter

AN enterprising farmer from  Esiphezini area in Umguza district’s Mabindisa Village on the peripherals of Bulawayo — Mr Luke Maphosa — has realised an optimum maize crop yield after engaging in conservation farming as a pilot project to prove its advantages compared to conventional cropping.

Value addition can benefit entire value chain

It is not a secret that there is a serious shortage of skilled butchers in Zimbabwe. What we have are meat cutters who can just cut meat through the bandsaw and sell.

Business Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Association of Pig Producers (Zapp) is appealing to the Department of Veterinary Services to revise its fees for the registration of pig facilities, which came to effect at the beginning of  the year.

Abattoirs bemoan unplanned deliveries

Farmers wake up one morning with a plan to sell cattle, sheep, goats or pigs. What they do not do is to engage abattoirs, butcheries or simply the market to find out where they can get the best prices

Business Reporter

THE Grain Marketing Boarding (GMB) is asserting itself as one of the fastest recovering parastatals in the country as it seeks to add three new products to its Silo brand this year in a bid to intensify its diversification and commercialisation strategy.

As one of its commercialisation and restructuring initiatives GMB unbundled into two main units, the Strategic Grain Reserve and a Special Purpose Vehicle company with four commercial strategic business units namely; commodity trading and logistics, farming and farmer support, agro-processing, and poly-bag manufacturing.

“We are very satisfied with the way our commercialisation process is taking shape. For instance you have to realise that we have opened two state-of-the art milling plants in Harare and Bulawayo all worth $1 million and it’s my pleasure to announce that we did all this from our own finances not that of Government so it just goes to show the route we are taking.

“Last year we introduced two new products namely soya mince and jam thus we increased the number of our products and this year we are going to venture into the manufacturing of bottled water and peanut butter. We also have a financier whom we are working with who will bring us some equipment that will be producing 100 000 loaves of bread per day and the first bakery will probably be in Gweru or Bulawayo,’’ said GMB general manager Mr Albert Mandizha.

GMB is working on rebranding its silo products as it strives to regain lost market share.

Through its commercial unit, GMB produces rice, mealie-meal, salt, beans, samp, soya mince and jam.

GMB was forced to close its bakeries in Marondera, Bindura, Masvingo and Mutare at the height of the country’s economic meltdown due to the rampant shortage of wheat and in the process failed to open the other bakeries in Gwanda and Chitungwiza.

Mr Mandizha said the company would increase the number of its contract farmers cropping maize, soya beans and groundnuts.

GMB held its second annual general meeting (AGM) after 81 years three weeks ago in line with Government’s Corporate Governance Framework.

AGMs constitute an important legal platform for the renewal, confirmation, regulation or authorisation by shareholders of a cocktail of governance arrangements as well as future programmes of the entity. Failure to hold AGMs denies Government, as shareholder, the opportunity to exercise its ownership functions as provided for under the Companies Act.

Breeding programmes key to livestock production

Emphasis has been on pen fattening and supplementary feeding as a drought mitigation strategy. Admittedly, we have written very little about an equally important pillar of livestock production — breeding. An animal’s response to feeding is very important lest thousands of dollars are wasted.

Ngonidzashe Chiutsi

Business Correspondent

MINISTER of Environment and Natural Resources Management Francis Nhema has called on the Zambian and Zimbabwean governments to synchronise proper fishing practices in Lake Kariba and safeguard fish resources.

A supplier of day old chicks, Cluck Chicks, has entered into a partnership with the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union (ZCFU) Matabeleland North province chapter in an effort to improve the availability of cheap locally bred chickens in Bulawayo and its peripherals.

Adapt to climate change or perish

SINCE time immemorial, livestock production systems have evolved around the God-given sweet veld and minimum supplementary feed in Matabeleland region.