By Gift Chiponde
Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has commended Gala Macs for using advanced innovative approaches towards mega farm implementation in pursuit of achieving the Malawi 2063 vision.
He made the remarks on Wednesday when he toured the 2030 hectares of Gala Macs Macadamia Farm situated at Namitete in Lilongwe.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with Gala Macs for its use of improved agriculture systems, including irrigation, and crop processing systems at the farm, which he said are contributing to the progress of the agriculture sector.
“We all witnessed how agriculture activities are being conducted at the farm, starting from the Nursery to the farm and the processing systems, this truly indicates a strong dedication to agriculture investments by Gala Macs.
During the tour, it was revealed that the company is also producing liquid Bio fertilizer intended for Macadamia a development that Kawale described as agriculture modernization and is complementing the vision of President Dr Lazarus Chakwera of Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) strategy.
He said Gala Macs which is also producing honey at the farm whose main aim is for pollination of macadamia trees and business purposes has trained 100 beekeepers and more are expected to be trained to manage 8000 bee hives at the farm.
“I am very impressed with how Gala Macs is using every opportunity at their disposal for the beekeeping business this is not a mean achievement for a local company like Gala Macs. The initiative will also add value to the company’s export earnings and maximise the country’s honey production,” he said.
In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer for Gala Macs Limited Christo Bothma said the company will continue working with government in achieving and solving forex problems through macadamia export.
Bothma commended the minister for the timely visit, saying it served as a platform for the company to address challenges it is facing in the macadamia business.