Green Belt Authority eyes export markets for vegetables
The Green Belt Authority (GBA) says its Greenhouse Project is set to start supplying high-value vegetables to local and export markets.
The project is being implemented on a 16-hectare plot at Lumbadzi, Lilongwe under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with an Israeli company Inosselia Commercial Limited.
GBA acting chief executive officer Amon Mluwira speaking after a media tour of the project on Tuesday, said that apart from job creation, the project will facilitate import substitution.
He said they expect five tonnes from each of the types of vegetables to be produced per week from the project once all the facilities are complete.
Said Mluwira: “In terms of value of money to be realised, it will vary based on the contracts that we will have with various buyers.
“This project is one of the critical successes of PPP arrangement. This project is in tandem with government’s agenda of agriculture transformation, food security, trade and commerce”
On his part, Inosselia Commercial Limited farm manager Tal Mit said so far there are three greenhouses in operation that are producing tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, watermelons and pepper.
He said: “We are anticipating to harvest half tonne of cucumbers per week that will increase to five tonne per week.
Mluwira said the project has created about 100 jobs for Malawians.
Inosselia Commercial Limited owns 51 percent stake in the project with government owning the remaining 49 percent in the project valued at $5.5 million (about K4 billion).
