THE ZAMBIAN BREWERIES PLC PLANS TO START OFF-LOADING AN ADDITIONAL OF 24BILLION KWACHA INTO THE ZAMBIAN ECONOMY EVERY YEAR

THE ZAMBIAN BREWERIES PLC PLANS TO START OFF-LOADING AN ADDITIONAL OF 24BILLION KWACHA INTO THE ZAMBIAN ECONOMY EVERY YEAR FOLLOWING THE START OF PRODUCTION OF CLEAR BEER USING LOCALLY GROWN BARLEY.

ACCORDING TO ZAMBIAN BREWERIES TECHNICAL DIRECTOR IAN MACKINTOSH THE COMPANY HAS ALREADY PAID OUT ABOUT $4.8MILLION TO LOCAL FARMERS FOR A TOTAL OF 12 000 TONS OF BARLEY HARVESTED DURING THE 2010 SEASON.

MR. MACKINTOSH SAYS THE COMPANY FEELS A SENSE OF PRIDE IN THAT IT IS SPENDING HUGE SUMS OF MONEY ON RAW MATERIALS THAT IT IS NOW ABLE TO SOURCE LOCALLY UNLIKE BEFORE WHEN THIS WAS IMPORTED ADDING THAT THERE IS ALSO A FEASIBILITY STUDY CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO ESTABLISH THE VIABILITY OF MAKING ZAMBIA THE BARLEY BASKET FOR THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL REGION.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ZAMBIAN BREWERIES IS NOW SELF SUFFICIENT IN TERMS OF BARLEY PRODUCTION AND THE CURRENTLY PRODUCTION AND THE FEASIBILITY STUDY COMMISSIONED BY THE LONDON-BASED SABMILLER PLC AIMS TO MAKE ZAMBIA THE CENTRE OF SUPPLY FOR THE WHOLE REGION.

THE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR SAYS IF THE STUDY SUCCEEDS, ZAMBIA BREWERIES COULD BE PRODUCING FOUR TO FIVE TIMES OF WHAT IT IS CURRENTLY PRODUCING, PUTTING THE COMPANY IN GOOD STANDING TO EXPORT TO SOUTH AFRICA, BOTSWANA, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, TANZANIA, UGANDA, ZIMBABWE, MOZAMBIQUE AND ANGOLA.

MEANWHILE THE COMPANY HAS STARTED EXPORTS TO LOCALLY GROWN BARLEY TO TANZANIA ADDING THAT THE FIRST BATCH OF ABOUT 2000 TONS OF BARLEY WILL BE SENT TO THAT COUNTRY AND THE COMPANY IS ALSO EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES OF EXPORTING THE GRAIN TO UGANDA.

published by augustine m sichula