Business Reporter
The Agriculture and Rural Development Authority intends to expand Katiyo Tea Estates by an additional 300 hectares as it targets to re-start the factory in the medium term. Arda is utilising only 200ha of the estate in partnership with Eastern Highlands Tea. “The plan is to re-start the factory and we are working to expand the estate by 300ha to have sufficient volumes to revive the factory,” Arda chairman Mr Basil Nyabadza said.

Katiyo Tea was one of the most popular brands on the local market before the company closed down in 2012 due to low volumes.

Mr Nyabadza said Arda was pursuing a joint venture on the revival.

He added that the company was also looking for partners to revive Gairezi Estate for timber and seed potato production.

Arda was also looking for an investor for its cattle ranch in Masvingo and macadamia nuts plantations in Chipinge.

Mr Nyabadza said that Arda was in negotiations with Cottco Holdings to revive estates in Sanyati, Muzarabani and Mushumbi Pools.

“We remain guided by the need to produce,” he said.

“Zimbabwe is now surrounded by weaker currencies and people are now looking at us as an attractive destination for their products, meaning that we should increase production.”

Since dollarisation, Arda invested about $575 million in various projects through public, private partnerships.

Some of the major projects were implemented this year, resulting in more than 10 estates either revived or expanded Mr Nyabadza said