Zimbabwe expected to import more farm machinery from China

Moves by a Zimbabwean firm, Saltlakes, to import agricultural machinery and equipment from China, have received a major boost after a senior government engineer certified the implements as suitable for use by farmers in Zimbabwe because of their high quality, The Sunday Mail reported.

In a report to the Minister of Agriculture, Joseph Made, after inspecting the equipment in China last month, Engineer Ashton Machiwana of the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority ( Arda), recommended the purchase of the equipment, saying the move would benefit many farmers across the country.

The equipment which Saltlakes intends to import includes 250 Changfa tractors and their spare parts, Sailor trucks and more spare parts for 658 Euro Leopard tractors that were imported from the same country by the Zimbabwe Indigenous Agro-Dealers Association (ZIADA) but, apparently, without back-up service.

Machiwana, who toured China from Dec. 15 to 24 last year, together with a Saltlakes delegation headed by chief executive officer Temba Mliswa, said he was impressed by the high quality of the equipment and urged Saltlakes to go ahead with the planned purchases.

"The inspected machinery and equipment was of good quality, worth the value and suitable for use by farmers in Zimbabwe. Saltlakes can therefore acquire this machinery and equipment.

"Since Zimbabwe has limited financial resources, it should benefit from the capacity of the Chinese economy to supply agricultural mechanisation inputs at affordable prices. Considering this, the acquisition of agricultural machinery and equipment from China through Saltlakes will facilitate the acquisition of mechanisation inputs by many farmers in Zimbabwe," said Machiwana.

During the tour, the delegation visited Changfa Agricultural Equipment Company in Changzhou City in southern China and inspected the machinery the company had to offer.

Saltlakes and Changfa clinched a deal under which the latter will supply 100 (80 horsepower) tractors and 150 (90 horsepower) tractors.

Saltlakes will be the sole distributor of Changfa tractors in six Southern African countries, which are Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

To facilitate the supply of the spare parts, a bonded warehouse will be established in Zimbabwe.

The delegation also toured the Yuejin Motor Group Corporation in Tianging City, also in southern China, and the company agreed to supply Saltlakes with three, five and eight-ton trucks together with the necessary spare parts.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority has already acquired 100 trucks from the same company. The trucks are said to be performing satisfactorily.

Another deal was struck with Great Wall company for the supply of Sailor trucks.

Machiwana reported that their tour of Shandong Foton Heavy Industry Company was an eye-opener as the company is now a leading manufacturer of construction and agricultural machinery in China.

Foton agreed to supply Saltlakes with spare parts to repair the Euro Leopard tractors, which are already in Zimbabwe.

The tractors have been affected by poor repair and maintenance work because of lack of spares and the absence of appointed dealers to service them.

Foton also pledged to send technicians to assist Saltlakes technicians in repairing the Euro Leopard tractors.

The positive report by Machiwana is expected to pave the way for the purchase of the machinery.

Source: Xinhua