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News that some textile companies in Bulawayo are back in business while manufacturers of such commodities as fertiliser and cooking oil have increased production is something that will prop the economy as it enters the home stretch. Although the general sentiment in the economy has largely been that of trepidation, we should now run with the pockets of progress that are being registered in the economy and expect more developments in the coming weeks and months as deals signed and negotiations being made on various projects firm up.

That some textile firms have begun production as stated by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa in response to concerns raised by legislators last week is something that most had written off and may have difficulty believing, and yet it is happening.

Already, the ban on second-hand clothing that came into effect last month is producing results as reflected by humming machines at a number of textile firms that had long ground to a halt. Suppressed demand and uncompetitive prices had rendered continued production a futile engagement.

But with the new dispensation, more jobs are being created while those that may have lost employment when the firms closed are being called back to work. On the other hand, the announcement by fertiliser producers that they can now afford to reduce the price of the commodity by 20 percent is something worth celebrating, coming as it does when farmers are preparing for the summer cropping season.

Price reduction by any margin is an obvious benefit to the farmer, long saddled with huge input costs against suppressed producer prices. With fertiliser production now expected to rise by between 30 percent and 40 percent, farmers have been reassured of enough supply of the critical ingredient in farming.

Furthermore, consumers have noticed that the price of cooking oil has gone down significantly to an average $2,75 a two-litre bottle from more than $3 a few months ago. Producers have reported 100 percent production capacity.

Price softening has also been witnessed for other basic goods such as laundry soap, bath soap, toothpaste and some foodstuffs.

To some this may sound like a drop in the ocean of challenges bedevilling the economy, but in this multi-currency environment, anything that saves a dollar on the budget or adds a dollar to one’s income is worth celebrating.

The flicker of light will soon grow into a huge flame as measures taken by Government to improve the operating environment take root in the economy. New lines of credit from the PTA Bank, Afreximbank and other multilateral and bilateral lenders should also ease the liquidity crunch while providing capital for factory re-equipment and raw materials.

All these initiatives will combine to bring a more friendly and fertile environment for increased production. The benefits therefrom will not be difficult to discern. Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Lin Lin also gave another dose of good news on Friday when he announced that a number of Chinese financial institutions were currently engaged in talks with local partners to implement more projects.

Already measures have been put in place to buttress the mega deals that President Mugabe brought back home from his State visit to the Asian giant last year. The follow-up visits by Chinese government officials and other working groups should augur well for the economy.

Trade between Zimbabwe and China reached $1,24 billion last year. China has provided US$1,5 billion worth of preferential, concessionary and commercial loans to Zimbabwe over the past 10 years. More funds are expected to come Zimbabwe’s way.

Therefore, all stakeholders need to come to the party and ensure that the successes registered so far are not compromised by laxity in implementation, but are instead, buttressed by hard work, total commitments and a buy-in into the initiatives to prosper the economy.

The 2016 National Budget and the complementary Monetary Policy Statement should come up with more measures to consolidate growth while taking care of any impediments to growth.