Monday, September 13, 2021Nelson Gahadza Senior Business Reporter

SEED Co Limited says the US$13 million maize seed conditioning plant commissioned by President Mnangagwa yesterday will enhance the group’s seed maize supply capacity for both local and regional markets as the facility contributes to quick turnaround of production and productivity.

The seed maize plant, whose installation started in 2019, has the ability to double cropping per unit area as well as produce early ensuring harvest crop.

Mr David Long, the company’s chairman, said the seed maize conditioning plant would also result in a massive turnaround of agriculture in the country.

“The quality of seed maize has improved through elimination of pest challenges as seed maize harvesting can be done at 35 percent moisture content while the cost of producing seed will be reduced since other processes of harvesting are eliminated,” he said.

Mr Long said in 2019, Seed Co embarked on a project to install the drier plant, and the project would be done in four phases, the first of which would have the capacity for 5 000 tonnes of seed maize per season.

He said the technical commissioning of the plant was completed in June this year, and the project was completed for US$13 million with over 60 percent of the project cost benefiting local contractors and suppliers.