Power cuts hit agro industry

Markets
EXCESSIVE power cuts being experienced throughout the country coupled with water shortages will have a negative effect on this year’s agricultural season with the agro industry being the most affected.

EXCESSIVE power cuts being experienced throughout the country coupled with water shortages will have a negative effect on this year’s agricultural season with the agro industry being the most affected. BUSINESS REPORTER

Parracombe Packaging general manager Daniel Vumbunu said Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) should ensure uninterrupted power supply to the agro industry to enhance production.

“The agricultural sector is about to start and we will require fertilizer and other inputs. Our main constraint is power outages. We have an obligation to produce the required bags for fertilizer and seed packaging on time,” said Vumbunu.agro

He said power and water shortages had seen the company lagging behind in production schedules.

“We have outstanding orders and these include poly woven bags for Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company (800 000), FSG (250 000) and Nico Orgo (150 000),” he said.

Vumbunu said the ZFC bags were for packaging fertilizer meant for the Presidential Input Scheme.

He expressed great concern over the shortage of water stating that it would lead to collapse of the manufacturing industry.

“The water supply system is not consistent. We rely on buying bulk water, but the situation has been worsened by the ban on bulk water deliveries. Water is a crucial resource to our production plant machinery vumbunu said.”

Parracombe Packaging is a leading diversified poly woven and plastic packaging manufacturing company that offers several packaging products to the local and South African market.

Low capacity production has seen the company’s revenue nosedive over the years. However, Vumbunu said the company would find alternative strategies to address the issue other than retrenchments.

“We will not cut our workforce like what other companies are doing. Our strategy is to hold on for the national good of employment sustainability,” he said.