By Archford Chirimudombo
Harare, (New Ziana) – The opening of a new US$15 million stockfeed and snack manufacturing plant and headquarters by Davipel Holdings on Wednesday is a symbol of enterprise resilience, innovation and confidence in Zimbabwe, the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndlovu said.
Speaking at the event, Ndhlovu applauded the success of Zimbabweans who have chosen to invest at home, create jobs and build industries that will serve generations to come.
“We are celebrating the vision of the Second Republic, under the capable leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose unwavering commitment to macroeconomic stability and support for industrialisation continues to inspire confidence among both local and international investors.
“Zimbabwe’s history has always been intertwined with a robust manufacturing sector. For decades, our country stood proudly as one of Africa’s most diversified industrial economies. Zimbabwean products found their way into markets across the region and beyond. Our factories employed thousands, our engineers and artisans are respected across the continent,” he said.
Ndhlovu said the country’s manufacturing and commercial sectors are now demonstrating renewed resilience, deeper value chain integration and more importantly, anchored on local raw materials.
In 2018, the manufacturing sector was estimated at US$4 billion, while the commercial sector was at US$5.7 billion, with the manufacturing sector in 2021 being the third biggest contributor to Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Under President Mnangagwa’s leadership, we have witnessed sustained investments into the commercial and manufacturing sectors, reflected in the accelerated growth of the manufacturing sector to approximately US$9 billion (17.1 percent) as of the first quarter 2026, while the commercial sector stood at US$5.7 billion (11 percent), now being the highest and fourth highest contributors to our GDP respectively,” he said.
Through Vision 2030, the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS-2), the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (ZNIDP2), and other complementary policies and strategies, the Government is deliberately creating an enabling environment that attracts investment, promotes value addition and beneficiation, strengthens local production, and enhances the competitiveness of the country’s industry.
Ndlovu added that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has developed the Local Content Strategy, which is an intentional policy initiative aimed at enhancing the off-take from the industry, through a guaranteed domestic market, thereby creating the much-needed employment for the people.
“Through this strategy, appropriate incentives will be considered for manufacturers who source raw materials locally, develop home grown technology solutions and train more of our young people through apprentices. As we celebrate the achievements of this company which was granted a Special Economic Zone status, such benefits ought to accrue to companies that support local producers. This way, we grow together as an economy, leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has undertaken an in-depth assessment of the fifteen agro-industry value chains prioritised under NDS-2, and has identified critical supply gaps, infrastructure constraints, import dependencies, and investment opportunities that mitigate against unlocking the economy’s full potential.
“These findings are now informing targeted interventions designed to strengthen domestic production, accelerate value addition and beneficiation, improve productivity, and enhance national competitiveness,” Ndlovu said.
New Ziana
