BY BLAIR MHONE
President Lazarus Chakwera today has launched the Pyxus Agriculture Limited Groundnut Processing Plant in Kanengo, Lilongwe, where he also pledged to address the challenges confronting the country’s private sector investments.
During the launch, Chakwera also announced the formation of a Private Sector Council, which will serve as a liaison between the government and the private sector.
The president has since commended the establishment of the company which he said is crucial for the socioeconomic development of our country because it directly supports two of the three pillars of our long term vision, Malawi2063; these being Agricultural Productivity, Commercialization and Industrialization.
“I am glad that the groundnuts ecosystem that will be created by this investment comprise 6000 farmers on contract farming and 30,000 others who will have increased incomes.
“My administration remains committed to ensuring that we open opportunities to all serious investors who will support the mechanization of our Agriculture sector and help us to achieve increased exports, job creation and more forex into the economy,” said Chakwera.
On his part, Pyxus Agriculture Limited managing director Ronald Ngwira said the groundnut processing plant will work with over 30 000 groundnut farmers on contract whose production will feed into the processing plant to come up with various value-added products for exports.
“To maximise the groundnut value chain capacities, the government should ensure the legal and regulatory framework is favorable for increased private sector participation”, said Ngwira
Pyxus groundnuts processing factory is one of the biggest groundnuts processing factories outside South Africa.
It will be involved in value addition to groundnuts, processing other groundnuts products such as peanuts, cooking oil among others.
Pyxus Agriculture Limited Groundnut Processing Plant establishment is also poised to recruit about 2 000 workers, with about 7 000 farmers already contracted to supply the company with groundnuts.
