Simba Rushwaya
Senior Reporter
MUTASA District will host one of Africa’s biggest pine resin processing plants, which will produce chewing gums, rubber and tyres and create employment for more than 2 500 people.
This follows the ground-breaking ceremony of a site in Chikanga area of Mutasa District where Song Yuan company will construct its US$10 million pine resin processing plant.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza presided over the ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday and said the development is in line with President Mnangagwa’s quest for massive rural industrialisation that resonates with his mantra of leaving no one and no place behind in creating employment opportunities.
At full throttle operations, the Chinese company – which is already working closely with Allied Timbers – is set to employ about 2 500 workers, mostly local villagers.
“The success of this rural industrialisation project in Mutasa District is a culmination of determined efforts by Government and the private sector to ensure that they bring great development to the people of Zimbabwe and our province in particular.
“It is a testament of His Excellency; the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr ED Mnangagwa’s ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’ philosophy as demonstrated by the positive relationship shared between the private sector and Government.
“Song Yuan in collaboration with Allied Timbers has so far employed 1 000 workers and another 1 500 will be added to tap the pine resin in future. Pine resin tapping is a new forestry chemical engineering project that recycles pine resin. It is environmentally friendly and realises the maximum added value of pine,” he said.
The project, Minister Mugadza said, will be the first of its kind in Africa and its products can be used in medicines, food, paint, spices, cosmetics and other industrials after scientific and technological separation.
“We urge Song Yuan to employ local people so that we deal with employment creation in our community. This will create local economic growth and huge investment for Manicaland to the tune of US$10 million.
“It is an investment which will ensure that everyone is allowed to thrive in the timber industry. This project is a shining example of what we can achieve when we work together. This will lead to more value addition chains,” said Minister Mugadza.
Allied Timbers chief executive officer, Mr Remigio Nenzou said their collaboration with Song Yuan is yielding US$500 000 per annum for his company.
“Today marks one of the biggest days in Manicaland. What started as a familiarisation tour to Tanzania for Allied Timbers management in 2022 has materialised into a revenue generation project contributing approximately more than US$500 000 per year. Song Yuan has tapped one million trees to date. My hope is that all other commercial forestry companies will also jump onto the ship so as to support this huge investment that has been brought to Manicaland following the rallying call by President Mnangagwa that: “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”.
“This plant will be the first of its own kind in Africa, thus emphasising how lucky we are as a nation to be having such an investment out of other 53 countries on the continent.
“This project will restore the dignity of Manicaland, and indeed of our nation. Pine resin processing is a new venture and will contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country and province. The resin oil we are tapping is used to make chewing gum, tar marks, rubber and tyres,’ said Mr Nenzou.
Song Yuan director, Mr Zhao Guisheng said they were excited that the ball has started rolling.
“Today is a great day because the long awaited construction of the Song Yuan Forestry Plant with an annual output of 10 000 tonnes has finally got started.
“We appreciate what Allied Timbers has contributed to our company and other partners. Without your concern this project will not be a success and it will fill the market gap in the resin industry. Our company is confident to develop this into a unique stand on the African continent. We will make brilliant contributions to the economic development of the local society in the near future.
“We will strive to make ourselves a good example of the Zimbabwe-China relationship,” said Mr Zhao.
