Zimpapers Logo

Nelson Gahadza
Business Reporter 

Seed Co Limited, a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) listed seed breeding firm, intends to replicate its US$13 million seed conditioning plant across its regional markets after drawing lessons from the pilot plant the group has built in Zimbabwe.

The group has operations in several African countries including Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Group chief executive Morgan Nzwere, in a recent update, said the artificial seed conditioning plant (Drier) commissioned in Zimbabwe last year was now fully operational.

“Plans are still underway to replicate this technology in key regional markets like Zambia after drawing lessons from the pilot plant in Zimbabwe,” he said.

In Zimbabwe, the seed maize plant whose installation started in 2019, was commissioned in November 2021. The technology can process seed that increases output per unit area as well enable early harvesting.

Mr Nzwere said in the region, the new seed processing and packaging plant commissioned in Nigeria was also now fully operational.

“The seed processing plants are in good working condition and the new plant installed in Nigeria last year is delivering expected efficiencies. We are in the advanced stages of procuring and installing a new plant in Tanzania to handle the growing business,” he said.

The group, Mr Nwere said, continued to leverage its multi-geography footprint to make seed available in markets such as East Africa and Nigeria facing product shortages.

He said Zambia’s open market sales were encouraging this year and uptake under the Government system was increasing.

“Tanzania is expected to continue on its growth trajectory while Nigeria is anticipated to recover sales volume during the last quarter. Kenya is set to close the year lower than prior due to drought despite securing products from sister strategic business units (SBUs),” said Mr Nzwere.

He noted that the group would continue the sales and marketing blitz aiming to surpass the prior year volume and US dollar revenue contribution in Zimbabwe.

Seed Co has introduced new products in Zimbabwe guided by research findings. These include three new maize hybrids SC307, SC449 and SC561, sorghum hybrid SC XH101 and three pearl millet hybrids SC PGH01, SC PGH03 and SC PGH05.

Mr Nzwere said Seed Co also introduced two cowpea varieties SC VU01 and SC VU03 and it is in advanced stages to release two sunflower varieties to add to the increasing demand for oilseeds.

In the region, Mr Nzwere said the company introduced four maize hybrids, SC 649, SC 653, SC 665 and SC 729 that were listed on the SADC regional catalogue.

In addition to that, it added three new soyabean varieties SC Serenade, SC Signal and SC Saga, which were also listed on the Sadc regional catalogue.

Mr Nzwere noted that a new Hybrid true potato varieties, SOLY07 and SOLY12 was released in Kenya in partnership with Solynta USA and is continuing with Rice hybrid trials in Southern, East and West Africa.

He said the group is continuing to screen and introduce new vegetable hybrids group wide.