By CHATULA KANGALI –
THE Ikeleng’e district administration has called on corporate entities and individuals to consider investing in pineapple processing in the area, saying too much of the fruit is going to waste.
District Commissioner Victor Kayekesi said the district was yearning for more investment in pineapple processing.
Mr Kayekesi said in an interview that Ikeleng’e was one of the largest producers of pineapples in Zambia and a lot of it was going to waste due to lack of processing industries and access to market.
He said Government had connected the area to the national grid and was constructing roads making the area conducive for investment in pineapple processing.
“We produce a lot of pineapples which go to waste due to lack of market and processing industries, we only have one company, Zambezi Limited that is currently drying and packaging pineapples for exports,” he said.
Mr Kayekesi said the district was in need of other companies that could process the pineapples into juice and other value adding products.
He said farmers in the area were willing to grow more pineapples provided there was market and industries to process the fruit.
Mr Kayekesi also called for more investment in the hospitality industry.
He said Ikelen’ge had a game reserve and other tourist attractions but there was a shortage of accommodation.
He said increased investment in the hospitality industry would allow the district to attract more tourists and visitors and in turn contribute to the economic development of the area .