Sofala Province will soon have its first canned fruit processing unit, with an investment valued at 14 million dollars (895 million meticais). The facility will be established in the district of Nhamatanda and could generate up to three thousand jobs, according to district administrator Emanuel Teixeira.
The new factory will be implemented by Gorongosa National Park in the buffer zone of the natural reserve, with the goal of boosting local fruit production, such as pineapples, and processing them directly on-site. “It is truly aimed at ensuring family livelihoods on a large scale,” emphasized the official, adding that financing for the project’s start-up is already secured.
In the coming days, the environmental impact study and the survey of families that may need to be resettled will begin, ensuring compliance with environmental and social standards.
This investment is part of a broader movement to revitalize the agro-industrial sector in Sofala Province. In April this year, a rice hulling and processing plant with an annual capacity of 7,500 tons was inaugurated in Mafambisse, the result of a partnership between the Zambezi Agency and Tongaat Hulett. This factory supports more than 600 local producers and aims to strengthen the rice value chain in the Zambezi Valley.
Also in the agricultural sector, the Governments of Canada and Ireland financed, in 2024, a honey extraction and processing unit in the buffer zone of Gorongosa National Park, with a capacity of 100 tons per year, as a way to promote sustainable beekeeping practices and support local communities. Despite these initiatives, the province continues to face serious structural challenges. Sugar production, for example, dropped by 47% in the last two years at the Mafambisse Sugar Estate, attributed to climate change and the loss of cultivated areas.
To mitigate the effects, Tongaat Hulett announced the injection of 1.7 billion meticais into its operations, in an effort to recover production.
The new canned fruit factory in Nhamatanda therefore represents another strategic step in strengthening the local agro-industry and promoting value chains, focusing on the sustainable use of natural resources and the economic inclusion of rural communities.
Source: Rádio Moçambique (RM)
