His Excellency the State President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, on Thursday 14th March 2022 commissioned a state-of-the-art groundnuts processing plant at Pyxus Agriculture Limited at Kanengo Lilongwe.
The plant is the largest in Africa outside South Africa will create about 2,000 jobs and has a potential to increase income levels for an estimated 30,000 people.
Pyxus Agriculture Limited (Malawi), a subsidiary of New York Stock Exchange listed Pyxus International, is the largest food processing plant in the region and second largest biggest in the continent with a processing capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes of groundnuts in a working day.
Over 7000 farmers have already been subcontracted to supply produce to Pyxus for value addition.
Speaking after he officially switched the plant online, President Chakwera described the inauguration of the processing plant as a “landmark achievement” in Malawi and assured that the plant has government full support.
“Food processing businesses like this one are music to my ears, because they guarantee markets for our farmers and growers, as well as jobs for our youth. It is no small thing that this food processing plant is the largest in the region,” he said.
The President said government is committed to ensure that the full potential of agri-business is realized and maximized in Malawi.
According to President Chakwera, food processing businesses offer other multiply effects as they present opportunities to other industries such as packaging, machinery and equipment suppliers.
Speaking earlier, Minister of Trade and Industry Mark Katsonga explained that the new processing plant aligns with the second National Export Strategy (NES 11) which is designed to double the current exports value.
NES 11 was launched by Chakwera in Dec ember 2021.
In his remarks, Pyxus Managing Director Ronald Ngwira said the plant has the potential to unlock agro industrialization which is in line with government’s transformation agenda.
He informed the gathering that on aggregate, Africa produces about 4.4 metric tonnes of groundnuts but lamented that out such production, Malawi share is less than one percent.
