The ManicaPost
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Senior Reporter
As Manicaland is still recovering from the destructive effects of cyclone Idai disaster which hit the province in March this year, industries are still counting their loses as preliminary figures show that companies recorded loses in excess of US$7 million.
The cyclone affected the province’s agro-based industries that include Border Timbers, Wattle Company, Allied Timbers, Tanganda, Matanuska, Manica Boards and Doors and Ariston among others.
Small to Medium Enterprises were also not spared.
According to a recent report on the state of the Economic development in the province, some companies have submitted estimates of the losses they incurred.
The report notes that of the companies that have submitted estimated losses suffered, Allied Timbers suffered the biggest loss of US4,5 million.
Border Timbers recorded loses worth US$1,5 million while Wattle Company said they had registered losses worth US$1 million and ZWL$100 000.
In June, Border Timbers reported that its lumber production in the 9 months to 31 March 2019 went down to 52,889 from 65,686 in the same period, mainly due to general power outages and Cyclone Idai.
Banana producer Matanuska reported losses worth US$81 687 and Makande lost US$240 000 worth of infrastructure and products.
However, Tanganda Tea Company and Ariston have not yet submitted their estimates as they need to appraise their boards of directors before making the information public.
Speaking on the report, provincial director in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Mr Kupukani Masunungure said despite the losses, most of the companies were in the process of replanting the timber and crops they had lost during the cyclone. He said equipment and roads that were damaged were also being replaced to ensure operations continue.
The cyclone made landfall in the Mozambican port city of Beira on 14 March, then continued towards Malawi and Zimbabwe where it caused massive damages to infrastructure in Chimanimani, Chipinge, parts of Masvingo and Buhera, killing more than 1 000 people in the three countries.
It also damaged the infrastructure corridor connecting the Mozambican port of Beira with Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe disrupting regional trade and supplies of fuel, wheat and other goods.
