President calls for manufacturing, export-led growth DOREEN NAWA, JOSHUA MAZIMBA Lusaka PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says increasing production alone will not deliver the country’s economic transformation unless Zambia strengthens its capacity to process raw materials,…

• President calls for manufacturing, export-led growth

DOREEN NAWA,

JOSHUA MAZIMBA

Lusaka

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says increasing production alone will not deliver the country’s economic transformation unless Zambia strengthens its capacity to process raw materials, manufacture finished products and access regional and international markets.

Under Grow Zambia Agenda, the country is looking to produce three million tonnes of copper by 2031, 10,000 megawatts of power, 10,000 metric tonnes of maize, three million metric tonnes of soyabeans, and one million metric tonnes each of wheat and sugar among other targets.

The President said Government is seeking investment in agro-processing, mineral beneficiation and energy infrastructure to turn Zambia’s production ambitions into higher export earnings, industrial development and job creation.

Government’s priority under Grow Zambia Agenda is to move beyond dependence on raw commodity exports towards value addition, manufacturing and export-led growth, he said.

“Having laid the foundation for macro-economic stability, our focus must now shift decisively towards increased production, industrialisation, value addition and export-led growth,” Mr Hichilema said in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Trade and Exports, Caroline Katotobwe, at the third edition of the French Business Circle conference in Lusaka.

Zambia is seeking to position itself as a competitive hub for manufacturing, value addition and international trade through investment in agriculture, energy and mining.

The President said the country’s targets of producing 10 million metric tonness of maize, three million metric tonnes of soyabeans, and one million metric tonnes each of wheat and sugar annually present opportunities for agro-processing and expanded regional food trade.

He said Zambia should take advantage of the African market, where substantial quantities of agricultural commodities and processed food products are still imported from outside the continent.

“It would be rather ironic for Africa to continue importing what its own farmers can competitively produce, while those same farmers struggle to find markets,” he said.

On mining, he said the ambition to produce three million metric tonnes of copper annually should be accompanied by investment in manufacturing copper rods, wires, cables and electrical components. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home

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