The opening of Bakhresa Soya and Vegetable Oil Refinery plant will stimulate economic development of Malawi especially among soya farmers in the country
President of Malawi Dr Lazarus Chakwera made the remarks on Wednesday during the official opening of the plant in Limbe, Blantyre, saying with the high demand of soya for the company’s production, it will offer a chance to farmers to a ready market.
Chakwera said the company’s vision aligns with his government development agenda highlighted in the Malawi 63.
Said President Chakwera: “When I met the Bakhresa board at Sanjika Palace back in August 2022, we spoke of our shared hope This company that Malawi’s farmers, our young farmers and our industries could unite and turn raw material into propesperity. Today, as I stand before you, that prosperity has taken shape and I am very excited with this investment.
“This factory represents what all processing companies need to start thinking about, namely, how can processing companies like this support those who produce the raw materials they use to produce more in order to meet demand?”
He also appealed to the farmers to take advantage of the company’s high demand for soya to produce more.
“At the moment, Malawi already has the capacity to process 600,000 metric tons of soya and this Bakhresa plant will now mean we can process close to 800,000 metric tons. But the question is where is the 800,000 metric tons of soya to be processed at factories like this going to come from?”
Minister of Trade and Mining Vitumbiko Mumba
said said the company will stimulate a cycle of growth, rural incomes bolstered by steady procurement and export revenues
Strengthened by high value shipments,” he said. Bakhresa Malawi Limited General Manager Venkatesh Rao Pattipati said the company as key driver in accelerating growth.
Bakhresa started with bread flour production and then ventured into soap manufacturing before the soya extraction and vegetable oil refinery company for making cooking oil.
Pictures Courtesy of Malawi News Agency
