Mabuwa tips Byo firms on SEZ Monarch Steel Managing Director, Mr Fritzpatrick Mawovera (left), shows the deputy Minister for Industry and Commerce, Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa, window frames manufactured by the firm during a tour of the company in Bulawayo yesterday. Looking on are officials from the ministry. — (Picture by Eliah Saushoma)
Monarch Steel Managing Director, Mr Fritzpatrick Mawovera (left), shows the deputy Minister for Industry and Commerce, Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa, window frames manufactured by the firm during a tour of the company in Bulawayo yesterday. Looking on are officials from the ministry. — (Picture by Eliah Saushoma)

Monarch Steel Managing Director, Mr Fritzpatrick Mawovera (left), shows the deputy Minister for Industry and Commerce, Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa, window frames manufactured by the firm during a tour of the company in Bulawayo yesterday. Looking on are officials from the ministry. — (Picture by Eliah Saushoma)

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
INDUSTRY and Commerce Deputy Minister Chiratidzo Mabuwa yesterday called on existing Bulawayo clothing and textile companies to invest in cotton spinning process to boost the sector’s competitiveness.

Speaking during a tour of Bulawayo industries, Deputy Minister Mabuwa said companies that have remained resilient despite the harsh economic environment should consider spinning and weaving cotton so that they enjoy large economies of scale under the proposed Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

“We are expecting a bumper harvest of about 110 000 tonnes of lint but our spinners can only take 15 000 tonnes which means the bulk of the lint will be exported,” she said.

Deputy Minister Mabuwa said instead of exporting the lint, Bulawayo textile companies could diversify into spinning taking advantage of the available lint.

She bemoaned what she described as the missing link in the Zimbabwe’s cotton-clothing or textile value chain.

The clothing and textile sector in Bulawayo, she noted, has the potential to grow by tapping into a number of opportunities to come as a result of the SEZs.

“Let’s venture into spinning and ginning so that we absorb all that is coming from our farmers. It’s a shame that industry cannot absorb the whole lint from this year’s bumper harvest,” she said.

Deputy Minister Mabuwa said Government was willing to discuss with businesses interested in venturing into cotton spinning as the sector was capital intensive.

Arenel and Monarch Steel were also some of the companies that Deputy Minister Mabuwa toured yesterday.

In an interview after her tour, Deputy Minister Mabuwa said the purpose of her visit was to meet manufacturing companies and listen to their challenges.

“The industrial hub of Zimbabwe is Bulawayo and it has always been a priority for us and this is why our biggest regional office outside of Harare is here in Bulawayo,” she said.

Deputy Minister Mabuwa said she was engaging captains of industry so that they are aware of Government efforts to revive industry.

“Some of the companies have been assisted by Government and we want to find out what they are doing and challenges they are facing. Monarch Steel for example is a beneficiary of a number of Government interventions and what is encouraging is that they are talking of improved exports and increased product lines,” she said.

@okazunga

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