Zutshwa — Zutshwa Salt project, operated by the Qhaa Qhing Conservation Trust, is in the process of expansion which should result in production increasing threefold and the possible export of salt.
This was explained by the manager of the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) in Hukuntsi, Golebaone Molefe, during a tour of the project by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi on Thursday.
Dr Masisi, who was in Zutshwa to launch the National Mindset Change campaign, encouraged the management of Zutshwa Salt to develop strategies to grow their business and make it sustainable.
However, Molefe said the project was currently not sustainable.
“The current 44 ponds are not producing enough profit to sustain the business,” he said when briefing President Masisi during the tour.
He said last year, LEA assisted the trust to compile a business plan aimed at making the project profitable. He said they sent the plan to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Southern Africa Development Commission (SADC) and Rural Development Council. As a result, he said, UNDP assisted with P1.8 million, RDC with P2 million, and SADC P2.2 million.
He explained,
“The funds would be used for expansion of Zutshwa Salt production. The tests have indicated that it is 99.9% pure salt. Our intention is to expand production to be able to meet market demand in our country.
After expansion, we foresee an increase in our employment rate. Our output will also triple.”
Molefe said the project currently employed 25 people on a rotational basis every three months. He said the expansion project would start by August.
He further said,
“We will start with a minimum of four boreholes which will provide us with more mineral (salt deposit). After that, we will increase the ponds from the current 44 by building another 10 bigger ponds.
We will also employ over 45 people on a permanent basis. Our output will triple and we will be able to meet the market demand and export. We are working on acquiring certificates of origin ready for export.”
Molefe said the LEA started working with the trust in 2015 by developing a business plan that led to P1.5 million funding from constituency development fund, which enabled them to increase ponds from 16 to 44.
He noted Zutshwa Salt supplied all Botswana Agriculture Marketing Board facilities in southern Botswana as well as Maun, with salt. Molefe further highlighted their salt was safe for human and livestock consumption. He said at P54.50 per 50 kg and P70 per 65 kg lick block, their salt is affordable.
Zutshwa Salt plant supervisor, Pobiso Kgamatona, said their main challenge was the constant breakdown of the equipment due to the corrosive effect of the salt. He said they use a simple method to harvest salty water into ponds and allow it to crystallise before adding iodine to it.
Source: BOPA
