Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe has made remarkable strides in reducing cooking oil imports by prioritizing the financing of local oilseed production.
This strategy aims to solidify the sector's gains and ensure its long-term sustainability.
During the Oil Expressers Indaba held in Harare on Tuesday, industry stakeholders reviewed the sector's performance, revealing that 90 percent of the cooking oil on retail shelves is now produced locally.
The representative of the Oil Expressers Association, Rod Musiyiwa, highlighted the industry's positive trajectory since 2019, driven by substantial investments that have led to self-sufficiency in cooking oil production.
“The path to growth has been on a positive trend because since 2019, we have seen massive investments leading to self-sufficiency. Basically, the market is over 90 percent being supplied by local cooking oil production,” Musiyiwa stated.
Despite these achievements, the sector still faces challenges, particularly with the importation of raw materials such as soybeans, sunflowers, and cottonseed.
General Manager of Buy Zimbabwe, Alois Burutsa emphasized the importance of focusing on long-term gains to enhance the competitiveness of local products.
“Indeed, a lot still needs to be done as part of consolidating the current gains. In fact, it is important to focus on long-term gains that are facilitating the competitiveness of local goods. The reduction in cooking oil imports has significantly cut Zimbabwe's import bill, saving valuable foreign currency. The current stable economic environment is expected to further boost local production,” Burutsa remarked.
Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Farmers Union, Paul Zakariya, stressed the importance of financial support, technical expertise, and farmer capacitation to ensure growth.
“This Indaba has seen it fit for us to therefore come together and focus on long-term strategies that include contract farming. The land is there, but it is the issue of financial support, technical expertise, and capacitation of the farmers that is of greater importance in ensuring growth,” Zakariya stated.
The availability of locally produced cooking oil in the market is a significant achievement under the Government's National Development Strategy One (NDS1), which aims to enhance food security.
This initiative not only supports local farmers and producers but also strengthens the overall economy by reducing dependence on imports and fostering self-sufficiency.
As Zimbabwe continues to focus on localizing oilseed production and supporting the agricultural sector, the country's cooking oil industry is poised to achieve greater milestones, contributing to long-term economic stability and growth.
