Tue, 15 Aug 2017 12:01:33 +0000
…farmers assured of market for their produce
By Buumba Chimbulu
CHOPPIES is this year set to investment close to US$2 million by opening a mega store in Kasama which will see it partner with local small-scale farmers that grow beans and groundnuts.
According to Choppies chief executive officer, Ramachandran Ottapathu, the firm was optimistic about the future of Kasama hence the decision to open a mega store.
Mr. Ottapathu said Choppies was already in talks with Government regarding the procurement process of beans and groundnuts from local farmers.
“We are happy that Government responded in no time. It happened in a week, you do not see that in many African countries and we are impressed as Choppies.
“We are very optimistic about the future of the Province and the country at large and will be opening during the course of the year,
“This is purely showing business confidence in the economy. The cost include US$2 million for the shop and US$1.2 million for the building and fittings,” he said.
He was speaking in Kasama over the weekend when he met the Minister of Finance, Mr Felix Mutati, and Kasama Central Member of Parliament, Kelvin Sampa.
Mr. Ottapathu said the town had a lot of opportunities that will support the success of the mega store.
And Mr. Mutati explained that Government and Choppies had decided to prioritise on beans and groundnuts because that was where farmers got stranded with those commodities.
“We have been having productive conversations with Choppies, they are looking beyond establishing a mega store in Kasama but also to begin to buy from our small scale farmers who are producing beans and groundnuts.
“So they are providing another market for our people helping us to reduce poverty and inject liquidity in the peasant farmers in the various communities so Northern Province has a twin opportunity sheet they will be buying beans and investing in a store,” he said.
Mr. Mutati said land for the establishment had since been made available by the Kasama Municipal Council.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sampa said the district had been in need of such investments for a long time. Mr. Sampa said it was gratifying to see how foreign investors had confidence in Kasama and Northern Province in particular and the Zambian economy at large.
“This will empower our local farmers as they are looking at partnering with them for their produce to be sold in their store which does not really happen in most of these stores which have been established here in Zambia,” Mr Sampa said.
