Agritech Article Pic

 

The amazing team at Agritech Expo, caught up with one of this year’s exhibitors. Strongpak produces woven bags that are the lifeblood of regional grain, fertilizer & feed packaging. In this exclusive Agritech Expo interview, Manish Bhat (Packaging Technical Advisor) at Strongpak Ltd, shares insights on the company, Zambian agriculture & their participation in Agritech Expo 2016:

Welcome to Agritech Expo! What would you consider as particular highlights for Strongpak as a business during 2015?

Strongpak has been servicing the farmers and the agricultural sector in Zambia since long. We were one of the regular visitors at the previous exhibition and found it a useful interactive platform for Agro businesses.

In 2015, as was in previous years, Strongpak continued to be a packaging partner to various fertilizer companies (Zambian Fertiliser, Green Belt Fertilizer, Profert Fertilizer), along with supplying packaging bags to Food Reserve Agency of Zambia and sugar companies like Zambia Sugar etc. Also being a successful packaging partner with the cement & lime companies in Zambia and neighbouring countries we really feel proud to stay closer to the people of Zambia through our packaging solutions.

Any exciting new products or projects that are in the offing for this year?

Strongpak, within a small period has established itself as a strong, reliable and innovative company in the manufacturing and supply of top quality pp woven bags for various sectors. Through our continuous improvement efforts and commitment to serve our valued customers with new products, we shall be introducing a classic small block bottom bags to pack 20 kgs material for tile adhesive manufactures in Zambia. This new product would also help the country save more foreign exchange outflow as in the case with cement & lime bags where there will be no requirement of importing these bags from other countries.

Zambia’s agricultural sector is facing some challenges currently, including the drought – your thoughts in how the agri community can overcome these challenges?
Zambia is blessed with bountiful resources in terms of water and fertile soil. With the current scenario wherein the copper mining sector has slowed down due to unattractive prices, the burden of growing the economy will have to be shouldered by other sectors; especially the agricultural sector is better placed to grow the economy. With the current trend of rainfall and the concerns about climate change, the farmers are facing challenges to sustain the production levels. But these challenges can be overcome by utilising the facilities like water harvesting during rain, using drip irrigation, bio-fertilizers & chemicals and various other advanced proven technologies to increase the productivity. The co-operatives and Government should educate & empower the small farmers on the effective utilisation of resources (seed, water, fertilizer) through scientific technologies to maximise their output.

What makes the agricultural sector in Zambia exciting?
As we all know that Zambia has vast unutilized cultivable land and the focus of late has been concentrated on the main crop like maize to address the food security. But with the vast available fertile land which has been bestowed by nature there is huge opportunity of growing cash crops like sunflower, wheat, soybean, cotton, coffee, tea, barley, macadamia nuts and horticultural crops, floriculture and vegetables in Zambia which could be exported to neighboring countries and other overseas markets. There lies a huge untapped market opportunity, which makes the agricultural sector exciting and promising for the future.

How important is Agritech Expo as an annual forum for the farming sector in this region?
The agricultural sector in Zambia as a commercial domain is independent and self sustainable. The efforts of ZNFU (Zambia National Farmers Union) and various other regional farmers’ co-operatives have brought the farmers under one roof, thereby enhancing the facilitation and sharing of knowledge. Agritech Expo as an annual forum not only serves as interactive forum for all the commercial and peasant farmers but educates them with wide range of latest technological developments in the agricultural sector. The display of newest equipment by the global manufacturers empowers the local farming sector with the required information to increase their farm product yield.

What will be your message at Agritech Expo this year? Are you displaying anything new and exciting for the sector/region?
We are a proudly Zambian manufacturing company and feel excited to associate ourselves with the Agritech Expo whereby we are able to stand by our theme “Strongpak Ltd- Your trusted packaging partner” and our vision of “Looking beyond Horizon”. We endeavour walking the extra mile to bring the satisfaction and smile to our valued customers.

Anything else you would like to add?
I would like to wish all the exhibitors and the people associated with the farming sector all the very best as they continue to grow and progress in this noble business.

agrit

Agritech Expo dates and location:
14-16 April 2016
Gart Research Centre, Chisamba, Zambia
Website: www.agritech-expo.com
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AgriBusinessEA
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/agritechexpozambia/
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7477169

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