News
YARA Zambia
Officially Launched
Organi, Pas Reform
partner to revitalise
Tanzanian poultry
Norwegian rm, Yara International has been officially launched in
Zambia, taking over the operations of Greenbelt Fertilizers Limited at a
cost of about $51 million.
Whereas the transaction was rst announced in December 2015, it was
subject to approval by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa (COMESA).
Leading Tanzanian poultry and agriculture specialist Organia will be
Greenbelt Fertilizers is a leading fertilizer distributor for Zambia,
Malawi and Zambia.
partnering with Pas Reform for an economic regeneration project that
Yara International says it has been motivated to acquire Greebelt
will redevelop Kibaha, a once important regional production centre, into
Fertilizers Limited due to the investment-friendly policies introduced by
the country's leading supplier of day-old chicks
e Kibaha Education Centre, west of Dar es Salaam, was founded as
the Zambian government which are conducive to business, thus
part of an international aid project in 1963 and was formerly the site of
attracting long-term investment into the country.
Tanzania's leading poultry operation. Kibaha was a major local employer,
Yara business unit downstream Africa chief executive officer, Bernhard
Fonsenka, said by acquiring Greenbelt Fertilizers, Yara will be able to
supplying chicks to local families, farmers and businesses and producing
provide sustainable crop nutrition, increase crop yields and farmers'
1.5mn day-old chicks per year.
e centre was forced to close ve years ago following a serious poultry
incomes.
epidemic, leading to a great deal of local hardship.
''We invested in Zambia because we were motivated by the investment-
e new project aims to develop Kibaha in phases over the next ve
friendly attitude that we have witnessed through the process of this
acquisition. We observed that investment authorities, regulators and
years, to have a 16 per cent share of Tanzania's poultry market with the
partners, all have the determination to attract long-term commitment by
production of 16mn chicks per year by 2021.
easing the cost of doing business,'' he said at the launch of Yara Zambia
First phase investment has included a complete overhaul of the existing
on May 4, 2016.
operation, with new breeder and broiler sites, a feed mill, processing and
a new hatchery, designed by Pas Reform.
''While Yara boasts of its ability to deliver the world's best agronomic
e hatchery is equipped with state of the art SmartPro setters and
practices and resources to local farmers, it will continue to ensure that
the farmer remains at the heart of everything we do with the aim of
hatchers, with full HVAC control (climate control) to ensure that an
sustainably increasing their pro tability, thereby improving their
optimal hatchery environment is maintained throughout the year.
livelihood,'' he added.
Demonstrating a relatively high level of automation by African
standards, the hatchery has been designed with future expansion in
Speaking earlier, Agriculture deputy minister, Maxus Ngónga said the
mind. With a rst phase setting capacity of 153,000 eggs per week, phase
coming in of Yara in the agriculture sector will bring competition in the
marketing of fertilizer.
2 will be 230,000 per week and there is the possibility of doubling that
''is investment has come at a time when Zambia is diversifying its
capacity in the future.
According to the company, the launch phase has already created more
economy and our commitment is not only to make Zambia the food
than 100 local jobs - a number expected to increase to over 500 by 2021.
basket of the region, but also attract investments that will help us achieve
In addition, the hatchery is expected to help re-ignite opportunities for
that dream.
small-scale poultry keeping in the region.
''As a nation, we are delighted to have a new entrant in the fertilizer
Organia's chairman Amr Taher said his company has long-standing
sector because this creates competition and helps to push the prices of
experience in the poultry industry and will work hard to ensure that the
the product down for the bene t of the farmer,'' he elaborated.
Kibaha project achieves its goal of regenerating the country's poultry
Norwegian ambassador to Zambia, Arve Ofstad is optimistic that Yara,
as a commercial producer of fertilizer, will add value to the Zambian
industry. “In a year's time, Organia will be producing 10.5mn chickens a
economy through job creation and better yields for farmers.
year and we will double this output annually until 2021.”
November - December 2016
[6]
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