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Industrial Development Corporation subsidiaries Zimbabwe Phosphates and the Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company have had over $3,5 million intercepted because of the US sanctions imposed on the country.The amount has been intercepted over a period of time.

At a recent briefing with the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mike Bimha, management at the two companies said that the amounts held include money the companies were receiving from exports.

Zimphos chief executive Tapiwa Mashingaidze said Chemplex Corporation has had $2,4 million intercepted over time as parent IDC is a listed entity under the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act.

“Because Chemplex is a subsidiary of IDC, the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has intercepted over $2 million. This includes money we were receiving from exports. They also can intercept when we are purchasing something.”
ZFC managing director Richard Dafana said $1,3 million had been intercepted.

Both Zimphos and ZFC are currently undercapitalised.

Zimphos traditionally supplies 85 percent of national demand with a capacity of 250 000 tonnes of phosphates.

Last year, the phosphates plant operated at 8 percent capacity while the aluminium sulphate plant operated at 30 percent.

As part of an in-house turnaround plan, Zimphos will leverage on gypsum, magnetite (Dorowa) and good credit management systems while ZFC Limited will invest $8 million in the next five years towards refurbishments and upgrading of plant equipment as the company steps up efforts to meet local fertiliser demand.

ZFC experienced a low uptake of its products during the 2014 /2015 season due to lack of purchasing power from farmers as well as the existence of obsolete plant equipment.

In 2014, the market demand for fertiliser was 300 000 tonnes but ZFC only managed to provide 100 000 tonnes.