By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
Zambian Breweries (ZB) has this year bought 22,000 tonnes of barley from local farmers in the country.
ZB managing director Annabelle Degroot said in an interview that the company had been able to contract 22,000 tonnes of barley from the local farmers.
Ms Degroot said all the barley was grown locally and that was something the company was proud of.
“We started the barley farming programme from the scratch here in Zambia. At the peak, we have been able to contract 22,000 tonnes this year.
“We have asked for 15,000 tonnes of barley from farmers and probably this will depend on the water available in dams,” she said.
She said the US$32.7 million malting project would significantly support the local barley growers and add value to the product.
Ms Degroot said power and infrastructure in the new area had posed challenges, but that the company was able to overcome them.
“The ground in this area is quite difficult to work in, but we have put extra time working on the foundation and so the project is on course,” Ms Degroot said.
Currently, the company was working on the final stage of the project and planned to commission it in late April or early May, this year.
The company has employed about 1,200 people in the construction process.
