As tons of tomatoes go to waste – Why is IDCs Kalene Fruit Processing Plant processing water instead of tomatoes & other fruits?

Kalene Hills Fruit Company Limited has revealed […]

Kalene Hills Fruit Company Limited has revealed that the plant is currently operating on a small scale, with water being the only main product under processing.

The development raises questions about the extent to which the multi-million-dollar facility is currently delivering on its original agro-processing and farmer-market objectives.

Kalene Hills Fruit Company Limited was established under Zambia Fruit Company, which is wholly owned by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), as part of Government’s push to strengthen agro-processing and add value to local agricultural produce.

A check on the project framework by the Zambian Business Times-ZBT revealed that it dates back to 2017, while IDC says it embarked on the Mwinilunga fruit-processing project in 2020, with installation of plant and equipment beginning in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The plant was officially commissioned by President Hakainde Hichilema on July 27, 2022, with an installed processing capacity of 24,000 metric tonnes of fruit per year and an initial target of creating jobs and providing a market for local farmers.

The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) lists the project cost at US$7.2 million, with US$4.7 million in equity capital, while the plant was designed to process more than three metric tonnes per hour.

At commissioning, IDC said the facility was expected to produce pineapple juice, pulps, sauces, purees, baked beans, bottled water, dried fruits and canned fruits, while plans also included tomato processing and other value-added products.

The facility was also expected to support more than 1,500 small and medium-scale outgrowers, making its operations important to farmers looking for reliable markets for their produce.

This development comes barely 4 days after tomato farmers suffered losses at Soweto Market, where prices reportedly fell to as low as K10 per box, with some produce going to waste.

The situation has consequently raised questions among concerned citizens about the purpose of processing plants such as Kalene if they cannot come on board to absorb surplus produce and turn tomatoes into ketchup, tomato paste and other value-added products.

Meanwhile, speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Kalene Hills Fruit Company Limited, Human Resource and Administration Officer, Evans Jere said the plant is currently operating on a small scale.

“We are operating at the moment, but on a small scale, and what we are processing right now is water, while the other products are still in the pipeline,” said Jere.

He said the planned tomato-processing component has not yet started, despite the facility’s original plans to introduce tomato sauce and other fruit and vegetable products.

“The conversion and processing of tomatoes into tomato paste is still in the pipeline, and the projected time for that to start is the second quarter of next year,” said Jere.

By Philip Sinkala