ZAMBIA – Green Crop Field Investment Limited, a Zambia based company, has expressed interest in a Paprika Production and Processing Plant at an investing cost of US$72 million, reports Lusaka Times.
Central Province Permanent Secretary, Chanda Kabwe says the US$72 million investment by the Lusaka-based company is part of the US $432 million that the firm wants to invest in more than 80,000 hectares depending on the availability of land across Zambia.
Apart from Paprika, the Lusaka-based company will also be involved in the growing of Stevia and Marigold at the site once the project is approved by relevant Government ministries and institutions.
According to Mr Kabwe, the project comes as a boost to the country’s Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) which is promoting private investment for economic development.
“We are equally glad that Green Crop Field Investment Limited is coming in our Province following a successful 2018 Investment Forum and Expo which was aimed at unveiling investment opportunities in different sectors in our region,” said Mr Kabwe.
The plantation and processing plant will sit on a 6, 000 hectares piece of land in Chibombo district.
He added that the investment is one of the many inquiries the province has received after the Central Province investment forum and expo which was held in the last quarter of 2018.
He observed that if approved, the project would also bring other auxiliary benefits such as electricity and improved road infrastructure to the remote part of Chibombo district.
Mr. Kabwe further stated that the provincial administration has since recommended the land earmarked for the project for Land Area Development Plan (LADP) and Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) in line with provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning Act.
He stressed that the SEIA is inevitable because the proposed land is part of the local farmers’ grazing land.
He expressed confidence that the Paprika Production and Processing Plant has the potential to significantly improve the household income of the local people and contribute to the economic development of the district as a whole.
Paprika is a ground spice made from dried red fruits of the larger and sweeter varieties of the plant tomato sweet pepper and sometimes chilli peppers.
