Speaking at a recent marine industry event, the company’s CEO, Francois Kuttel, had said that the company is going to upgrade its existing operations in Namibia. Oceana will replace its fishmeal production facility in the country that will increase its production capacity by 2,000 tonnes. “We are putting a new fishmeal plant in our cannery in Namibia with better technology and better quality. It will deal with trimmings from our.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 23rd October 2015

Kabarole — Authorities in Kabarole District have launched a fish restocking project in selected crater lakes.   The project, which is being implemented in conjunction with FERDSULT Engineering Services Ltd, was launched on Saturday at Saaka Crater Lake in Kicwamba Sub-county.   The Kabarole LC5 chairperson, Mr Richard Rwabuhinga, said the project would cost Shs20 billion.   Mr Rwabuhinga said the project would create.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 22nd October 2015

Some 1,000 farmers in all wards of Machakos county can take advantage of the free tractor programme.   Speaking when he launched the programme in Machakos town yesterday, Agriculture chief officer Nimrod Mbai said 38 tractors are ready for use.   He said in the next three weeks, all selected farmers will have their farms tilled in readiness for the El Nino rains.   Targeted areas are Masinga, Yatta, Mwala, Matungulu,.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 22nd October 2015

Kenya’s flower production now accounts for seven per cent of the world’s output, according to the latest statistics from the Kenya Flower Council (KFC). And though the country is now ranked third after world leaders Colombia and Ecuador, the flower sector has had to face down numerous challenges to register growth in the last couple of years, according to KFC Chief Executive Jane Ngige. “The country’s flower.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 21st October 2015

The sugar factory completion date--projected to be end this month when President Peter Mutharika is also expected to attend the third edition of India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) from October 26 to 29--should stand as a microcosm of what Africa and, Malawi in particular, can benefit from a resurgent India through stronger economic and political cooperation.   "Malawi and India have been strong partners for decades in terms of trade,.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 21st October 2015

A local agro chemical company, Shalom Agro Chemicals, has unveiled a $24 000 loan facility to benefit farmers in Nyanga. The inputs scheme was unveiled to farmers under a contract farming arrangement for Nyanga small- scale farmers. Farmers in the area hailed Shalom Agro Chemicals saying the money would assist them to buy inputs.   "The worst enemy of the farmer is inputs costs and these include seed and fertilisers which are the.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 21st October 2015

Farmers in Migori, who had been left desperate following the exit of a company that had for years contracted them to grow tobacco, have now found hope in soya beans.   Francis Masiaga, a farmer from the Bugumbe Soya Farmers' Cooperative Society, said intercropping soya with maize has resulted in better harvest.   "We have been selling a kilo of soya, which has mixed varieties, for Sh53 per kg while the pure varieties fetch as.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 21st October 2015

 The services sector will become the main engine of growth in sub-Saharan Africa as agricultural exports continue to decline and the manufacturing sector remains stagnant in many countries.   Latest data from UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) shows that the sector contributes half of the continent’s output, outpacing the manufacturing sector.   “Indeed, growth in services has been vibrant in Africa.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th October 2015

 African agriculture has long been a symbol of the continent’s poverty. Officials considered the hundreds of millions of African smallholder farmers too backward to thrive; the future would arrive not by investing in them but rather by bypassing them. But all that is changing.   In recent years, African agricultural policies have been haphazard and inconsistent. Some countries have neglected smallholders in favor of commercial.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th October 2015

Lagos — The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, is expected to commission Cadbury's new state-of-the- art manufacturing plant on Friday October 16.   Also expected at the commissioning ceremony is the Executive-Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain, Mondelēz International, Mr Daniel Myers and top government officials.   The new plant will boost Cadbury's production capacity by nearly 37 per cent to meet the.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 19th October 2015

Kenya is set to start producing its first batch of industrial sugar when a Kisumu-based miller opens a special unit to handle the commodity next month. Kibos Sugar factory will become the first sugar miller in eastern and southern Africa to manufacture the refined sugar meant for industrial use. Users of the commodity are normally forced to import from Brazil under special licences that come with tax concessions. Industrial sugar is an.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 19th October 2015

A Chinese company has signed an agreement with a Kenyan regional government to set up a fish processing plant at the cost of US$9mn China’s Beijing Xidan Company Limited will build an ultra-modern fish processing plant in Naivasha in the Nakuru country, about 120 km northwest of Nairobi. Kinuthia Mbugua, governor of Nakuru county, said that the presence of a modern processing plant in the region would help bolster commercial fish farming.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 19th October 2015