President Hakainde Hichilema has called on the Indian investors to consider establishing a local manufacturing plant of farm equipment.
President Hichilema has observed that most farming equipment being used by small and large scale farmers in Zambia are Indian brands, an indication that they are easily accessible by many.
He explained that this is why there is need for Indian investors to cease the readily available market for the product and establish an assembling plant for not only the Zambian market but for the region as well.
” I must say Indian farm equipment here are popular at all levels, be it small, medium and large scale everywhere you go you will find at least an Indian brand of farming equipment like John Deere, Mahindra tractors and other irrigation equipment. this is why we are saying we need to domestic this, we need Indian investors to come and produce this from here,” he said.
He added that this will also go a long way in enhancing job creation and economic development for the country.
The Head of State said this in Lusaka yesterday when Indian High Commissioner to Zambia Ashok Kumar paid a courtesy call on him at State House.
President Hichilema said the government is committed to further strengthen the strong and long existing bilateral relationship between the two countries in various areas of cooperation.
He cited health, agriculture and infrastructure as some of the sectors that the two countries have continued to enjoy cordial relations for the benefit of the people.
President Hichilema admired India’s advancement in the health sector, a situation he said has led to most people from Zambia traveling to that country to access health care services.
He noted that it is in this vein that there is also a need for India to consider putting up a state of art medical center in Zambia so that people can easily access the needed services opposed to traveling all the time.
” We appreciate your support in different areas, more especially health, we know that your health sector is quite advanced, and people from here go to India for various services, it cannot be a bad idea if you just set up one of two of your best hospitals right here so that people do not need to always travel when they are not well and need advanced services,” he stressed.
And in the area of infrastructure, President Hichilema explained that there is need for Zambia and India to embrace the Public Private Partnership model of support for infrastructure development.
He explained that doing so will help Zambia avoid acquiring loans for infrastructure development as a way of not over burdening the already stressed national balance sheet.
He also commended India for its plans to assist Zambia construct a Mahatma Ma Ghandi conversational center noting that the move will go a long way in boosting the country’s intentions of hosting international events.
And Indian High Commissioner to Zambia, Ashok Kumar commended Zambia for nurturing the bilateral ties with India dating back as far as 1964.
Mr. Kumar explained that this is evident by the various visits done by all previous Zambian Presidents and India’s Prime Ministers to Zambia and India respectively.
He stated that the relations have continued to grow in political, cultural and economy among many other sectors.
He further pledged his country’s continued support to Zambia in order to improve the lives of many people in the country.
“Our relationship between Zambia and India have been long standing from 1964 to date, our founding leaders built this relationship that needs to be strengthened further, for us we will continue to work with you in different areas of economy for the benefit of the people of this country,” he added.
Instead of asking the Indians to set up this plant here, why don’t we do it ourselves. These people will bring in their own people. In the end we will only have claims and accusations of racial discrimination by the Indians against Zambians.
Oh, so now we’re going to exchange Chinese sh!te for Indian sh!te…? No thank you!
#1Deja Vu, there are many Zambians that worked for AFE and know how to make agro equipment. Mukango at Kapiri Mponshi is one such person. He manufactures good quality ploughs and other equipment but faces the challenge of a lack of support from locals. Brainwashed Zambians want to buy from Indians and Chinese. Pass by his shop and see the quality of his products, they’re better than what these leading Indian dealers bring from India. HH doesn’t know Zambia well and he’s not willing to listen. We can guide him free of charge. We don’t need foreign players in many sectors. And when it comes to money most Indians are not honest apart from being stingy and cruel
I thought this f00Iish president of yours claimed that he was a successful home grown business man who can achieve anything. Today he is begging Indians to develop a country he manages. He is a lazy president with no plans of how to honour the lies he told you. Fuseke hh
Kudos to the grz for making an effort to attract fdi into the country. In the past 3 months I’ve really appreciated the effort being made by some of the ministers and the president in luring investors. They have done their part now we wait for a response. Unfortunately there are other better destinations that investors prefer. This is where the argument of using home grown ideas, interventions and investment is better because it’s within reach.
That idea is ok but we should not allow the third quarter of Indians to shift from their country just to come and do the assembling of Equipments. Zambian are capable and suitable to do that provided we are familiarized and taught how to do it. Ba Labor Minister Madam Tambatamba should make sure Zambians are occupying more positions in any industry than these honey suckers and she should not make us miss Kambwili as Labor Minister .
#3 Ayatolla exactly. I am surprised someone has given me thumbs down. Money and Indians? There was an Indian in the second class trading area whose house got burned. It was discovered that he had millions of Kwacha in house. This money was destroyed by the fire. Another one in Luanshya was exporting ITT radios to India. It was later discovered he was sending money to India stuffed in those radios. We never learn.
GRZ what happened to the proposed explanation?
GRZ New dawn administration starting to lean toward unsubstantiated claims.
GRZ (Parliament) what is going on?
“…..find at least an Indian brand of farming equipment like John Deere,…..”
I thought John deere was USA ?
Anyways , that’s the spirt , impose high duties on imports.
Also target solar products. We have the market and raw materials. Hammer them with high duties and they will shift production to zambia.
#6 Deja Vu, there’s another guy at Kafue who once worked for Lenco I think. He manufactures small trailers. Most minibuses on the Southern route don’t carry luggage on their buses but use his trailers. What he requires is just support to increase his capacity. He can employ many. What Zambians lack is start up capital and support to break into bigger markets. There are many Zambians in Makeni whose eggs go to waste because they can’t supply to chain stores. Since the advent of multi party politics Govt policy has always favoured foreigners, they’re the ones that have always been getting tax holidays. Unfortunately this is the path that the UPND has pursued with renewed vigour. There’s no hope. The economy might grow but Zambians won’t benefit. So what’s the use of that growth?
#9 Ayatollah
June 3, 2022 At 10:22 am
“………… Most minibuses on the Southern route don’t carry luggage on their buses but use his trailers. What he requires is just support to increase his capacity. He can employ many. What Zambians lack is start up capital and support to break into bigger markets. There are many Zambians in Makeni whose eggs go to waste because they can’t supply to chain stores……….”
That is the problem you have………….
You need to form co operatives and NGOs , lobby groups and other civil bodies to push your agenda and interests………….
Zambians need to learn to voice in numbers . Group Action has more leverage.
HH7 what is the point of IDC? You seriously think the Indians will come to Africa live their poor cousins and uncles eating their own fi..eces in the streets to come and give you skilled jobs…c’mon you are slowly moving away from what you promised about value addition. What India will do is merely set up a small assembly plant or dealership hence promoting manufacturing back in India.
Your comment is awaiting moderation??
HH7 what is the point of IDC? You seriously think the Indians will come to Africa live their poor cousins and uncles eating their own fi..eces in the streets to come and give you skilled jobs…c’mon you are slowly moving away from what you promised about value addition.
What India will do is merely set up a small assembly plant or dealership hence promoting manufacturing back in India.
Ayatollah
“He manufactures good quality ploughs and other equipment but faces the challenge of a lack of support from locals. Brainwashed Zambians want to buy from Indians and Chinese.”
Your friend may be doing something wrong but manufacturing top notch quality products …the problem some entrepreneurs have is they think local and do not see the bigger picture.
You talk of all these people who worked for AFE, Fiat etc…the world has moved on their development has stalled, take someone who worked at a Bicycle Plant in Chipata to fix a modern 2022 full suspension mountain bike he will not know what to do as its too technical..these bikes have glutches and sophisticated gears and derailers.
Your comment is awaiting moderation…stop this nonsense.
Ayatollah
“He manufactures good quality ploughs and other equipment but faces the challenge of a lack of support from locals. Brainwashed Zambians want to buy from Indians and Chinese.”
Your friend may be doing something wrong but manufacturing top notch quality products …the problem some entrepreneurs have is they think local and do not see the bigger picture.
You talk of all these people who worked for AFE, Fiat etc…the world has moved on their development has stalled, take someone who worked at a Bicycle Plant in Chipata to fix a modern 2022 full suspension mountain bike he will not know what to do as its too technical..these bikes have glutches and sophisticated gears and derailers.
This unnecessary moderating is off putting …it disturbs the flow of debates.
Tarino eff off. No one cares about your comments here or that you are being moderated. Even my colleagues at lusakatimes cannot stand your constant moaning and irrelevant blogs. Are you that bored abroad? Do you not have a life? A partner? Someone who can stand your diabolical personality? How sad
Its a bank holiday in the UK and the UK based Troll/Impostor is desparately craving for interaction on every comment thread. Good work bloggers continue to ignore it.
Not long ago, it was Poland which was supposed to set up a factory and today it’s the Indians and tomorrow? By the way John Deere is not Indian ?
#9 I agree with you. There is another guy in petauke who has never worked for these big companies but he has used used his initiative to rehabilitate old ox drawn ploughs. He has a good demand for his products. Now #10 we don’t need to go to that extent. Grz should identify this potential and utilise it. Look at the extent they go to so that they can attract foreign investors. The problem is not with citizens. It’s grz. Look the measures taken with importation of onions and potatoes is what we need also in other sectors of the economy. Grz is crucial in changing the direction and mentality of citizens.
There are many Indians in Zambia. And they all sell……… Chinese stuff! Look at Radian, there is NOTHING coming from India in their shops!
Tarino I get more reactions from my comments than you do even after posting 20 comments on the same article. You are the one who is desperate for attention. I don’t need to post 100 comments to get responses. My name pulls people.
No Corruption… – Radian has been around for donkey years those guys must be dealing directly with the manufacturers by now. I remember a time when people were paying goods in installments..these guys must be billionaires by now.
Bravo Bally. We need to support local manufacturing of soyabean threshers, maize shellers, ground nut shellers, planters, plough etc to support mechanization and increase productivity. A strong Agro economy is basis for industrialization and diversification.
Whilst John Deere tractors are American they have assembly plants in India for Horse power up to 100. Let’s swallow our pride and attract investments and skills to support local industrialization. Where our local SMES are already progressing let’s offer them market for them to expend in capacity. We have a lot to learn from India whose industry has evolved from village concept.
GRZ must set up think tanks to identify critical items we must manufacture or should stop importing after a certain period so that when you look for investors , it is for specifics. Divide and conquer.
@26, Radian is as Zambian as a myntu can be. He is broke. He owes billions to banks. If he impirts expensive equipment from India, he will lose out to other competitors.
Indian equipment are durable and HH is right on his observation. But the point is why beg India to build an assembly plant? Why cannot it be a full fledged manufacturing plant?