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Chronicle Correspondents
PREPARATIONS for this year’s annual agricultural shows in Gwanda, Hwange and Chiredzi are at an advanced stage with exhibitors looking forward to a fruitful interaction and clinching business deals. The three shows begin on Thursday next week stretching up to the weekend with Gwanda hosting the Matabeleland South exhibition.

Matabeleland South Agricultural Show Society (MSASS) president Khuzi Thendele Ncube said 75 percent of stands at the Gwanda Show Grounds had been taken up.

“We’re happy with progress on the ground. Some exhibitors started sprucing up their stands two weeks ago and have made tremendous progress. We are overwhelmed by the enquiries from potential exhibitors,” said Ncube.

“A total of 50 exhibitors have confirmed participation and all the built stands have been taken up. We still have more ground that can accommodate up to 300 stands. So far we have three new exhibitors that have confirmed participation. More than 20 percent of our exhibitors are coming from outside Matabeleland South and we are looking forward to a bigger and better show especially with the good rains we received last season and improved harvests.”

The Gwanda show will run from September 4 to 6 under the theme “Economic Recovery through holistic approaches”.
Ncube said the theme was in line with Zim-Asset, which prioritises four clusters which are food security and nutrition, social services and infrastructure, poverty eradication and value addition and beneficiation.

Exhibitors pay $4 per square metre.
Ncube said the police and the army who did not exhibit last year had made bookings and were busy working on their stands.
Organisations such as the National Aids Council (NAC), Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Zimbabwe National Family Planning (ZNFP), National Parks and Zimra have also made bookings.

Esigodini Agricultural College, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic, Matopos Research Station and individual farmers would exhibit their livestock.
Matabeleland South Provincial Minister of State Cde Abedinico Ncube will officially open the show on September 6.

Hwange show society’s marketing and information coordinator Praise Moyo said their showcase will run from September 4 to7 at Number 2 show grounds along Four Mile Drive under the theme ‘Comprehensive planning for economic improvement’.

He said three quarters of the exhibition space has already been occupied by traditional exhibitors and urged those remaining to book their space.
Moyo said the show was expected to attract more than 150 exhibitors were expected during the show, which he described as “an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their products to a larger market in Matabeleland North province”.

“Events of this nature provide an opportunity for exhibitors to meet their clients and interact with them and exchange ideas on how they could improve their services and products. We’re expecting a bigger crowd of 5,000 people compared to last year’s 2,764.”

Moyo said adults will pay $2 and $1 for children at the gate while exhibitors were charged $5 per square metre.
He said gates will be open from 8AM to 11PM daily.

Chiredzi Agricultural Show Society spokesperson Graham Murindagomo said they have engaged musicians Jah Prayzah, Steve Makoni and Peter Moyo to grace their event.

“Preparations for this year’s edition of the Chiredzi Agricultural Show are now fine and in place. We have managed to line up a number of talented local musicians who will entertain revellers during the three days of exhibitions,” said Murindagomo.

“We have many local exhibitors who have already pitched their stands as we are left with only a week to prepare. We also have some international exhibitors that have seen it viable to partner with us with the goal being to foster sustainable trade development in Chiredzi.”

The event will run under the theme ‘Revived and Focused Growth’ with organisers saying they want to refocus growth strategies for the small sugar growing town which is surrounded by a number of vibrant business entities such as wildlife conservation, tourism and hospitality.