By Immanuel Chitwa –
THE US$25 million British American Tobacco (BAT) cigarette manufacturing company will start test runs of machinery at its plant located at the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (LS-MFEZ) next week in readiness for full production next month.
BAT Zambia Managing Director Godfrey Machanzi said the company would start test runs on its machinery at the plant next week to ensure that it was operating accordingly and full production would commence next month.
Mr Machanzi said the company would ensure it engaged smallholder farmers on the required tobacco standards for cigarettes production as part of promoting out grower schemes.
He was speaking when Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe toured the plant at the LS-MFEZ on Wednesday.
“In terms of the construction of the manufacturing facility, we are almost there. By next week, we will start the test runs of the machinery to make sure the quality is fine,” Mr Machanzi said.
He said the manufacturing plant provided an opportunity for the company not just to export cigarettes to the region but also to provide tobacco to its various plants across the globe.
Mr Machamzi said during the construction stage which was still ongoing alongside installation of equipment , some 500 jobs had been created while the production process would create 50 permanent jobs and hundreds of others indirectly in the supply chain.
And Ms Mwanakatwe said she was engaging BAT management on the use of local tobacco to manufacture cigarettes instead of the current imports of cut tobacco from Kenya.
She said Government was committed to diversifying the economy which included tobacco processing.
Ms Mwanakatwe advised BAT management to consider engaging small holder tobacco farmers and supporting out grower schemes.
“I am happy that the plant whose construction was commissioned in April this year will commence full operations next month which is way ahead of schedule.
“I am also impressed that no expatriates will be engaged in the production process because Zambians have been trained,” she said.