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Business Reporter—
THE Agriculture and Rural Development Authority says it is focusing on returning to profitability after successfully reviving most of its estates that have been idle for several years. In an interview, chairman Mr Basil Nyabadza said Arda had managed to revive most of its estates through public, private partnership deals. “We are probably one of the few State-owned companies that have managed to turnaround without help from the fiscus,” he said.

“The estates are now showcasing some economic activity both livestock and cropping.” Some of the estates that Arda has revived include Ngwezi Farm in Matabeleland North Province where it has established about 700 hectares of maize under irrigation.

Arda has also partnered a Chinese investor for cotton production at Jotsholo Estate. In partnership with a local investors, it has a mixed beef cattle of about 1 000 at Sedgewick. “We have also rehabilitated breeding infrastructure at Balo Estate and we are finalising an investment proposal for the establishment of a dairy plant,” said Mr Nyabadza.

At Esigodini, Arda has already moved machinery for tomato processing plant in partnership with Schweppes and production is expected to begin in the next six months. Zagrinda, a tomato canning company has also completed refurbishment of its plant in Norton and operations are expected to start in February next year.

Zagrinda is owned by Arda and the Development Trust of Zimbabwe on a 50-50 percent shareholding basis. The project is the brainchild of the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo. The company entered into a partnership with Schweppes Zimbabwe to revive the factories. About $2,2 million was invested for refurbishment of the two plants.

In the Midlands Province, Arda Fair Acres harvested a crop on winter wheat and has just planted soya beans. Some of the estates that have been revived are Nandi Estate (sugar cane) and Katiyo Tea Estates. He said the authority was also in discussions with prospective investors for value addition projects.

Since dollarisation, Arda invested about $600 million in various projects through PPPs. Arda, a State-owned company owns 22 estates and some of its household estates include Katiyo Tea Estates, Arda Transau Estates, which was allocated to diamond mining companies operating in Marange to relocate families affected by their activities.

Arda also owns Chisumbanje Sugarcane Estates where it built a multi-million dollar ethanol plant, Green Fuel, its biggest investment since the adoption of multi-currency system.