. Koinuma

By KAIKO NAMUSA –
JAPAN is exploring opportunities for probable investment in Zambia’s agribusiness sector and has kick-started its fact-finding mission with a tour of Zambeef Product’s operations in Chisamba.
Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma said in a statement yesterday that Zambia’s agriculture sector offered significant opportunities for Japanese investors.
“Zambeef is one of the success stories in the agriculture sector in Zambia and the agriculture sector is one of the priorities for Japanese companies and that is the reason I visited Zambeef,” Mr
Koinuma said.
The envoy announced plans to bring a mission of Japanese investors to Zambia next year to explore business opportunities in a range of sectors, which could include agricultural technology.
Mr Koinuma and his delegation from the embassy and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) inspected Zambeef’s meat processing plant, flour mill, feedlot and cropping operations during their tour.
Zambeef joint chief executive officer Francis Grogan welcomed the group saying increased would add to opening the economy.
“We need companies to invest in Zambia from a business point of view to open up the economy. If the Japanese are interested in developing agribusiness in Zambia there are enormous opportunities to produce food locally and to supply the region,” Mr Grogan said
He reiterated the company’s stance on encouraging local production and supporting Zambia’s small-scale farmers rather than allowing the import of food when the local market was of being self-sufficient in a
range of commodities.