A new cashew nut processing factory has started operating in the district of Palma, Cabo Delgado province, northern Mozambique, thanks to improved security conditions after the region faced terrorist attacks since the end of 2017.
The factory, the result of an investment of around 30 million meticais (around 1.3 million dollars), has the potential to employ 100 people and the capacity to produce 1500 tonnes of cashew nuts a year.
Inaugurated this week by the governor of Cabo Delgado, Valige Tauabo, the infrastructure is the only one in operation in the entire northern region of the province. ‘This will create a market for the largest cashew nut producers in the province, namely the districts of Nangade, Mueda, Mocímboa da Praia, Muidumbe and Palma,’ said the governor, quoted by the Mozambique Information Agency.
According to the governor, ‘this factory reflects the investment we are making to materialise economic diversification’.
The inauguration of the enterprise comes at a time of year when preparations are underway for the 2024-2025 cashew nut marketing campaign, which is due to be launched this October in Cabo Delgado.
The government official said that the aim was to cement industrialisation based on local raw materials, and a mark of confidence in the new phase of stabilisation in the region. ‘The inauguration of the factory is a mark of confidence in the new phase of stabilisation and development for Palma, in particular, and Cabo Delgado, in general,’ he said.
Valige Tauabo categorised the factory as an isolated case of a development hub, and left no doubt that Palma is once again open and safe for investment.
The investment belongs to ‘The Sunshine Approach Foundation’, an organisation whose aim is to make a difference to the poor by implementing projects that have an impact on the lives of underprivileged populations.
