Siliya explains multi-million Western Agric project

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 11:36:10 +0000

WESTERN province will be exporting an average of 15, 000 tons of cashew nuts per annum with a turnover of US$90 million at the lowest prices of US$ 6, 000 per ton once the US$ 55.42 million Cashew Infrastructures Development Project is implemented, Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya has said.

Updating Parliament on the project, Ms Siliya said funding to finance the project was already in government coffers and would not be used for any other programme apart from its intended purpose.

Ms Siliya explained that US$45 million was a loan from the Africa Development Bank, US$8.31 million and was government’s contribution, while the remaining US$2.11 million was a beneficiary contribution. “The loan will be paid over a period of 20 years with a grace period of 5 years at 0.06 percent interest rate,” Ms Siliya said.

The minister said the project would be implemented for a period of five years in ten districts of Western province. She said it would be implemented with the involvement of all players in the cashew value chain to ensure sustainability.

Ms Siliya said the project would be composed of three components namely support to cashew value chain, capacity building and project management. “The project would partner with a private investor to put up a processing plant to absorb all the raw nuts from farmers.

“The private partner will be identified through a competitive bid. This partnership will create a readily available markets for our cashew farmers and will enhance continuity,” she said. The project is expected to benefit 60, 000 households out of which 30, 000 will be rural women and 1, 000 youths each planting 1 hectare (100 trees).

Ms Siliya said the project would thus give out a total of 6 million productive cashew trees.  She said the project would rehabilitate existing cashew plantation in the province, adding that ultimately the project would directly and indirectly benefit 600, 000 households in the Western province.

Meanwhile, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Micheal Katambo apologized on the floor of the House to the people Nyimba district for the delay in the opening the Nyimba Livestock Marketing Centre. Responding to a question for oral answer, Mr Katambo said the  centre would be operational in January 2017.

He was responding to a question by Nyimba Member of Parliament Olipah Phiri who wanted to find out when the Nyimba Livestock Marketing Centre would become operational and what had caused the delay in operationalising the Centre.

But Mr Katambo, who is Masaiti PF Member of Parliament said the project was completed this year and would become operational by January 2017. Mr Katambo therefore apologized to the people of Nyimba attributing the delay in operationalisation to financial implications.

And Minister of Transport and Communications Brian Mushimba told Parliament that government would facilitate the construction of about 1009 communication towers across the country at an estimated total cost of US$ 280 million.

He said each constituency would have a minimum of seven communication towers. Ms Mushimba was responding a question Chimbamilonga member of Parliament Chansa who wanted to find out when government would facilitate the construction of communication towers in Mpulungu district.