Pineapple Growing and Processing

Government is seeking investors to revive the cannery and pineapple industry in the North Western Province. The project involves the establishment of a pineapple canning factory in Mwinilunga. The land is already available.

Mwinilunga has the highest potential for pineapple production in the country. A lot of pineapples produced in the region go to waste since the collapse of the pineapple processing plant in the 1990s. In 1991/92 season, prior to the collapse of the pineapple factory the total area cultivated was 1,421 hectares, with production of 11, 368 tonnes.

Growing and Processing of Cashew Nuts

The project involves growing and processing of cashew nuts. Land has already been identified and secured by the promoters. With adequate recapitalisation, the project has the potential to produce products such as:

o Cashew kernels of different flavours
o Cashew butter
o Cashew nut shell liquid for industrial use.
o Shell liquid cake (form of fuel); for the local and international market.

The promoters are seeking an equity partner with capacity to finance the expansion of the plantation, whose current productivity is very low (only four cartons per month). About 3,740 hectares of land is available for the plantation. The project needs a new cashew processing plant with a larger capacity.

Fish Processing – Aqua harvest Limited

The project is for Tilapia farming using cage culture. The fish production levels are planned to reach 5,000 tonnes per annum in four years of production. Land measuring 90 and 4.5 hectares on the shore line of Lake Kariba is available for the project. The promoters are seeking equity partners in the project.

There is a shortfall of 35,000 tonnes of fish per annum on the local market. There is a huge unmeasured regional market especially to Congo, Angola and Gabon.