IDC to Set $4m Fruit Plant in North Western

The Industrial Development Corporation -IDC- has reaffirmed its commitment to set up a multi-fruit processing plant in North-western Province at a cost of 4-million United States Dollars.The IDC targets to also have an out-grower scheme of about 3000 farmers.IDC Public Relations Manager, Namakau Mukelabai says the plant to be in Mwinilunga will come to fruition and that currently, the corporation is finalising land acquisition and statutory requirements such as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).Ms. Mukelabai has assured pineapple farmers in Ikelenge, Mwinilunga and Kalumbila districts that the project will take off as soon as the corporation concludes all regulatory obligations.ZANIS reports that Ms Mukelabai said the IDC is aware of the importance of the project in job creation and poverty alleviation and that the corporation will in the third quarter of this year start laying the groundwork for the fruit processing plant.Recently, Pineapple farmers in Ikelenge District in North-western Province complained that their produce has continued going to waste due to lack of a ready market for the fruit.One of the farmers, Felix Nkemba who spoke on behalf of other farmers further complained that small scale traders have continued exploiting farmers with uncompetitive prices.He said the district has a huge number of pineapple growers who have continued struggling to profit from their sweat.The farmers have since appealed to government to speed up setting a canary in the area. Post Views: 2
News Source: ZNBC