Governmenttakesindustrialparkstogrowthpoints

THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has partnered a number of health service providers to host a health expo that will run concurrently with the 10th edition of the Sanganai/ Hlanganani World Tourism Expo which starts in Bulawayo on Thursday.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said the purpose of the health expo was to provide a platform to increase health awareness to the public who will be attending the tourism fair.

“The services provided at the health expo will include provision of vital checks, dentistry, optometry and cervical cancer screening. All these services will be for free during the exhibition days. Health service providers who have come on board to support this initiative include Seventh Day Adventist Church, Cellmed Health and Cimas,” said ZTA.

The tourism promotion body also said that it has surpassed its targeted number of exhibitors and the hosting city, Bulawayo has the majority of exhibitors who registered for the expo.

“About 150 of this year’s exhibitors are from Bulawayo compared to 95 who participated at the 2016 edition. To date, 340 exhibitors have registered compared to 236 who attended the 2016 edition which is a 44 percent growth in exhibitor numbers.

“Sanganai is now fully subscribed, however, we continue to waitlist those who are interested in case we have some last minute drop outs. This year’s edition has received an increase in international representation. About 11 countries represented by 22 foreign exhibitors will be exhibiting compared to eight countries who participated in 2016 represented by 30 individual companies,” said ZTA.

According to ZTA 224 international buyers and 24 international media from Africa, Middle East, Europe, America, China and Asia are set to participate in the tourism fair.

ZTA also said space uptake had increased from 5 372 square meters in 2016 to 6 287 square metres this year and the number of first time participants has increased from 54 companies last year to 85 exhibitors at this year’s edition.

“This is largely attributed to the uptake of an additional hall (Hall 5) that will house Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) exhibitors who have products that complement the sector. Sanganai will utilise Hall 3, 4 and 5,” said ZTA.

The 10th edition will see the introduction of speed dating sessions earmarked at enhancing THE Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development is on a drive to promote rural entrepreneurship and industrialisation through by building industrial parks at all the country’s growth points.

In an interview, SMEs and Co-operative Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said every growth point must have an industrial park.

“As a ministry, we want to promote rural industrialisation and entrepreneurship so as to alleviate rural poverty. For rural entrepreneurship to grow, locals need to manufacturer products locally and then sell to other villagers and surrounding areas. Every growth point must have an SMEs industrial park because these are our new towns,” said Minister Nyoni.

According to the 2012 population census result report, Zimbabwe’s population stands at interaction between international buyers and 13 061 239, up from 11 634 663 in 2002, with about 67 percent of the population residing in the rural areas while 33 percent is in the urban areas.

Minister Nyoni added that banks have since approached her ministry, offering to build the industrial parks.

“Bubi district has already begun preparing to build their industrial park, may you give us your plans because there are banks which have approached my ministry and vouched to build the industrial parks. All those who have growth points in their areas must look for land where manufacturers can produce products.

“They (banks) want to see growth points being catered for, especially for manufacturers to promote value addition to complement growth points as trading centres. We need to consider value adding our cattle, honey, and leather. Having the infrastructure will make value addition processes easier,” she said.

Minister Nyoni expressed gratitude over the 20 percent tax revenue which SMEs are exhibitors. contributing towards the nation’s fiscus.

She said the contribution was catalysed by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s moratorium in January for SMES to register for Value Added Tax before 30 June without being charged penalties.

“The more we work with Zimra as businesspeople and not people who view Zimra as the enemy, the more growth we will get in the SMEs sector,” she said.

Cde Nyoni said an inter-ministerial committee has since been set up to assist her ministry to grow.

“Every ministry is now involved through the Inter-Ministerial Committee to assist in the formalisation and operations of SMEs. The Committee has representatives from Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services and others,” said Cde Nyoni. ONE of the contentious issues in almost all agriculture-based value chains is the buying price offered to producers of various agricultural commodities.

Producers always complain that buyers are offering below optimum prices for their commodities while buyers complain that farmers demand prices which are not viable for businesspeople.

The question which remains unanswered is why do farmers become price takers not dictators of prices of their own produce.

While economists will want to explain it in terms of supply and demand matrix they are however, unable to explain why manufacturers who dictate prices to producers somehow manage to still dictate prices of their products to consumers.

While the market forces may play a part in determining prices, meat wholesalers still decide on their own how much they want to sell their beef to retailers and in turn these also decide their prices for their consumers.

The farmer who is the producer of the commodity somehow cannot decide on the price especially when selling to abattoirs. The auction system may be considered to be a bit better because the farmer can choose to take the animal out if the price is not good.

However, some auction sale points are very far and farmers transport their animals to these sales and it may not be easy to opt out even if the price is not good.

It is my contention that such policies as the overdue livestock production policy should be addressed.

It may not be easy but the situation where farmers continue to toil and sweat for players within the middle to upper end of the livestock value chain should come to an end. Mechanisms should be