By Cuthbert Mashoko
MWENEZI-Acting President Kembo Mohadi on 16 January toured the novel Mapfura/Amarula plant at Rutenga Growth Point to assess production and marketing of the fruit.
The Mapfura/Amarula plant at Rutenga, apart from producing Amarula wine, has also ventured in the processing of cooking oil, cosmetics, spices and charcoal. All these being products of the Mapfura/Amarula fruit. The Acting President commended this, highlighting that, this has been a game changer to the people of Mwenezi.
“The processing of a locally gathered fruit into a variety of marketable products is prove to the success of the Rural Industrialisation drive, a brain child of HE President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa which seeks to take rural communities on board a testimony of the leaving no place and no one behind,” said Mohadi.
A high profile delegation accompanied the Acting President, which comprised of Minister of State Security, Lovemore Matuke, Acting Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, Professor Paul Mavhima, Deputy Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality, John Paradza, Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, the host , Mwenezi East MP and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Sheillah Chikomo.
Mohadi hailed the processing of the Mapfura/Amarula fruit into a variety of products which are being marketed on the International scene “What l have seen here in Mwenezi is in sync with the Vision of the Second Republic of transforming rural communities, through Rural Industrialisation as we move towards a middle income economy by 2030,” added Mohadi.
Gathering of the Mapfura/Amarula fruit is becoming a lucrative venture in Mwenezi as deliveries at the plant are fetching as high as $3 per Kilogram. “l am happy that the local communities are benefiting from this Mapfura/Amarula plant through selling the Mapfura/ Amarula fruit . This has increased the household income and has created employment to the local people. This is development,” echoed the Acting President
Apart from the Mapfura/Amarula plant, Mwenezi boosts of other processing plants, Sustainable Agriculture Technology (SAT) which is already processing sesame and paprika in to a variety of products. SABI meats and the Makata Citrus plant are also poised to make a remarkable contribution towards the successes of value addition in the district.
“Mwenezi District is proving to be a force to reckon with, for so many projects which are in line with the Government thrust of value addition and beneficiation are starting to bear fruits an indication that Vision 2030 is attainable,” said Mohadi.
Turning to energy generation, Mohadi hinted that electricity generation which has started at Lake Mutirikwi is a remarkable development which relieves pressure on the national grid.
Mohadi, challenged Chiefs, to foster unity of purpose among their subjects. “l have moved across the whole nation meeting our chiefs and traditional leaders. We want our people to live in harmony so that they can contribute to the development of our nation as enunciated by HE President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo mantra,”.
