ZAMBIA – The government of Zambia has partnered with Turkey’s Molino Mechanical Industry and Trade incorporated to develop a multi-million Food Complex City FCC in the country aimed at producing cheaply priced mealie-meal by January next year.
According to Lusaka Times, the project is under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of a food processing plant signed between Molino Mechanical Industry and Trade Incorporated and Zambia National Service (ZNS).
The proposed FCC Turkey project will have the capacity to produce 500 thousand metric tonnes of mealie-meal per day and will be established through a Public Private Partnership arrangement between ZNS and Molino Mechanical Industry and Trade Incorporated.
Molino Mechanical Industry and Trade Incorporated Vice President, Salim Alabeyi signed the MoU in Turkey’s agricultural and industrial hub of Konya while Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary, Stardy Mwale signed for ZNS in Lusaka.
Mr Alabeyi said his company had conducted a market survey on maize products in Zambia and is in the process of analysing the information.
He said the plant will be developed to meet local market requirements for mealie-meal and other maize products as well as exports.
The proposed food processing plant will be producing mealie-meal as a primary product and integrated products such as baby foods, cornflakes and stock feed.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Joseph Chilengi said Zambia had not been spared by rising global food prices. He added that President Edgar Lungu, is concerned about the impact of high mealie-meal prices on Zambians and was determined to address it as a matter of urgency.
He is happy that Molino had promised to deliver the component for mealie- meal production by the end of the year.
In efforts to make mealie meal affordable in the country, the Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF) entered into an equity partnership with Kasama Milling to own 70% shares in the milling company.
As a result of this partnership, 25kg bag of breakfast is costing K135 while 25kg bag of roller is K125 as opposed to K160 charged in most parts of the country.
