The Zambia China – Mulungushi Textiles Cotton Out grower Scheme has collapsed.
The Joint Venture General Manager, Colonel Canisius Chola, says due to failure to reach an agreement that could have culminated into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the scheme has been suspended.
Col. Chola, in an interview on Friday explained that the scheme , established in late 2019 lacked an MOU, budget plan and finances to sustain the undertaking.
“ The scheme from the inception was marred with a lot of anomalies in relation to the manner the scheme was initiated.
“ The project has taken root in Mumbwa under China Africa with over 1, 000 seeds distributed to farmers, Joint Venture pulled out because the scheme was not realistic, “ he said.
The Joint Venture General Manager reasoned that going into an agreement without an MOU was detrimental to the textile company, especially in an event that the other partner sells everything because of legal implications.
Col. Chola said the scheme has, therefore, been suspended until further notice because Textile Company is not ready to enter into unsustainable partnerships that might put its operations at risk.
Government is looking for better ways to revamp the textile industry by coming up with innovative and sustainable ways that will improve the country’s economic status.
Already plans are underway to produce garments for the Military departments but that all this hinge on predictable and robust out-grower scheme.
Col. Chola further said the province and the country as a whole, has shown great potential to produce garments using fiber, silk and recycled materials but this requires adequate expertise and technology.
“ The country could equally venture into exchange programmes with other countries to further capacitate the employees to be abreast with modern ways of garment manufacturing, “ he added.
Col. Chola has urged for partnerships with countries that are doing better in the textile industry like Tanzania and Kenya which are using sisal and Banana to ignite growth and expansion.
“…….produce garments using fiber, silk and recycled materials but this requires adequate expertise and technology……”
There are not enough trained machinists and artisans in zambia to sustain any large scale manufacturing that requires some skill……………
That is why the country can’t take advantage of preferential trade agreements with the USA………….
This is really shamefull after $20 billion in debt and we hear
” unprecedented development ”
What a scam…………
There are no machines in this company. The infrastructure is dilapidated due to lack of maintenance for so many years. This company cannot be revived. Better to sell it off to the larger shareholder which is china so that they can make use of it in one way or another and create some employment in kabwe.