ZDA helps local firms penetrate regional markets

Sat, 25 Feb 2017 11:32:08 +0000

THE Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) is keen to continue facilitating investment incentives and access into the regional markets for the local suppliers, says agency’s Director General Patrick Chisanga.

Mr Chisanga emphasised that the agency would facilitate the entry of local products into regional markets especially the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Angola.

He was speaking when he led a team of ZDA officials on an industrial tour of a selected companies in the Eastern Province on the side-lines of the Eastern Province development symposium in Chipata.

This is according to the statement released by ZDA manager for communication and public relations, Margaret Chimanse.

Mr Chisanga said the agency was ready to work with the private sector in propelling economic growth for wealth and job creation.

“The agency will facilitate the entry of your products into the regional markets especially the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Angola,” he said.

Mr Chisanga said he was impressed with the levels of investment in the province, especially those in agro-processing and value addition.

After touring COMACO, a company processing groundnuts into peanut butter and processing honey, Mr Chisanga was elated with the amount of investment and pledged to facilitate the investment incentives.

And when the COMACO founder and chief executive officer Dale Lewis outlined challenges of financing for the expansion of the business, ZDA advised the company to consider the Zambia Export Development Fund (ZEDF) which is controlled by the ZDA for the promotion of non-traditional exports.

Mr Chisanga was also impressed with the state of the art maize milling plant at Cargill, a major supplier of mealie meal in Eastern Province, and encouraged the company to continue uplifting the lives of farmers in the community by buying their maize.

Mr. Chisanga also commended the Japan Tobacco International (JTI) for working with the farmers in the country by buying their tobacco. Among the companies visited include the Japan Tobacco International (JTI), China Africa Cotton, Cargill and COMACO.