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Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Villagers in Chiredzi South have been challenged to fully utilise cattle fattening infrastructure in their area to augment Government’s plans to revive the mothballed CSC plant in Masvingo city.

Plans are at an advanced stage to reopen the CSC plant in the Masvingo industrial area that has been idle for more than 15 years.

At its peak, the plant employed thousands of permanent and contract employees, while slaughtering about 400 beasts daily.

Addressing hundreds of villagers in Sengwe communal lands during a Constituency Development Fund feedback meeting over the weekend, Chiredzi South Member of Parliament Brigadier- General Callisto Gwanetsa (Retired) challenged villagers to take advantage of the availability of raw materials and key infrastructure such as a feedlots to improve quality of their herd.

“President Mnangagwa now wants us to talk politics and business,” he said.

“He wants us to take part in this new dispensation by grabbing economic opportunities that exist in areas where we live.

“As for you the people of Sengwe, you are lucky because you have a stepping stone in the form of a fully-fledged feedlot that you must utilise to fatten cattle and improve the quality of beef that comes from here.

“The CSC plant in Masvingo will soon be revived, but it needs good quality beasts for it to remain open, so my challenge is for you to make use of the cattle fattening infrastructure here.’’

Brig-Gen Gwanetsa (Rtd) said Chiredzi used to be a major beef supplier to the CSC plant in Masvingo, adding that it was crucial to revive the relationship between the two parties.

“Chiredzi as a whole has over 250 000 cattle, which is under your care,” he said.

“We are lucky that we have perennial access to molasses supply from Tongaat Hulett and cotton cake from the ginnery in Chiredzi Town, there is great potential to produce quality beef here.’’

Brig-Gen Gwanetsa (Rtd) urged cattle farmers to work closely with agriculture extension workers to get tips on improving the quality of their herd.

He rapped private abattoirs that have mushroomed in Chiredzi for failure improve the welfare of cattle farmers and boost their operations to expand their herd.

Chiredzi Rural Council Ward 7 councillor Cde Hardlife Tiisa also echoed the same sentiments, saying Chiredzi South had potential to reclaim its status as a key beef producer in Masvingo province by venturing into modern livestock rearing business.

“We have lots of cattle, goats and sheep, but farmers here are complaining that they are getting nothing out of it,” he said.