Narottan Somani, the Executive Chairman of a leading cooking oil producer in Southern Africa, Surface Wilmar has said that his company has the capacity to sponsor the production of soya beans enough to supply the industry.
Zimbabwe is currently producing less than 50 000 tonnes of soya beans a year against a demand of about 400 000 to 600 000 tonnes. Resultantly, most of its crude oil requirements are imported.
Somani said that Surface Wilmar cannot, however, fund incapable farmers. The executive chairman said that it was necessary if capable farmers on farms dedicated to soya beans production. He said:
If you put 100 000 hectares of proper farming, our requirements will be fulfilled. We will be ripe for exports.
But where are we? What are we doing about it? If someone is not using it, somebody must get it. I cannot be a proud owner of this plant when it is not running, but I am a proud owner of it when it is running.
Same applies to the farmer who owns land .If he is not using it, somebody should be allowed to use it. He is getting the gross domestic product of the country down. We have the most number of water reservoirs per square kilometre and yet we are the one using it the least.
We are there; we can source money internationally. That is not a problem, but where do I put my money into. I cannot put it in someone’s pocket. I need to have a proper agreement to farm on that land for seven years.
More: News Day