By CHATULA KANGALI –
COLWYN Limited, the owners of Mununshi Bananas in Mwense District of Luapula Province, plans to invest US$500,000 in growing a variety of citrus fruits at its plantation.
Managing director, Terence Findlay who confirmed this in an interview in Ndola said he would commence the diversification project as soon as load-shedding in the area ends.
“Power cuts have affected our plans to expand and irrigate the banana plants we have. I am not only looking at bananas, I want to turn the estate into a fruit orchard and have a variety of fruits for the local market,” he said.
Mr Findlay said that there was an overwhelming demand of fruits on the Zambia market.
He said Mununshi Bananas had not been performing well due to low voltage of power to pump water for irrigation on the 15 hectare plantation.
He said he was currently producing a small amount of bananas which he sells in Ndola.
Mr Findlay said that the plantation currently, had a workforce of 30 people.
In 2013, the company invested $150, 000 to boost its production.
Mununshi Bananas was previously owned by the Government and was sold to the current investor during privatisation.
