I was happy to buy some palm oil or Chinkondya at the Ichinamanongo Ceremony Arena yesterday. This oil is being produced in Kanchibiya Constituency. Not long ago, one could only source palm oil from neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, not anymore!
Kanchibiya Constituency is the hub of palm oil cultivation and production in Zambia. Palm oil used in cooking, food products like margarine, detergents, cosmetics and, to a small extent, biofuel.
The Zampalm project in Senior Chief Kopa’s area was launched in 2002 and currently has some 409,506 palms planted over an area of 2,873 hectares in the main plantation, with another 39,000 seedlings in the main and pre-nursery. Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) holds 90% shareholding in the project while 10% is under Zambeef Plc. The vision was to set up a palm plantation and processing plant; and the production of crude oil.
In 2015 Zampalm commissioned its first US$1 million crushing mill plant with a crushing capacity of two to three tonnes of fresh palm fruit per hour, producing a yield of around 18 per cent of crude palm oil. At current prices and at an average production of 3 to 3.5 tonnes per hectare Zampalm could generate more than US$170 million in revenue over the next decade.
Zampalm is working with small-scale farmers in the District to set up an outgrower scheme to feed palm fruit into the Zampalm mill. This will allow local farmers in the area to participate and contribute towards edible oil production in the country.
There is readily available market within and outside the Country. The Company sales the crude palm oil to global industries situated on the Copperbelt in Ndola. The products made from crude oil include cooking oil, cheese, margarine, soap, ice cream, bread, peanut butter, cosmetics, animal feed (palm kernel expeller), biofuel and energy etc.
The Company pumped in about one million kwacha to promote out grower scheme so that those farmers within the radius of 50km from the station benefit. So far some local farmers participating in the Outgrower scheme will be able to sale the produce to the Company after maturity period of three years.
This is very interesting program in that the company has taken advantage of the soil type; clay loamy to sand loamy and the plains. The district still has enough land where similar investment opportunities can be triggered.
Kanchibiya looks forward to supporting SMEs around palm oil such as Soap-making.
If you are looking for palm oil, think Kanchibiya!
Signed:
Hon Sunday Chanda
Member of Parliament
Kanchibiya Constituency
01.10.2022
