Mmadinare Cooperative calls for investment in citrus spinoffs
Friday, March 29, 2024 | 340 Views |
Currently, MMCSL leases its 1,500-hectare land to SPC under a 50-year agreement, generating annual rental income that exceeds P900,000. As part of the lease agreement, MMCSL has the opportunity to purchase a 10% stake in SPC, valued at over P40 million, a venture currently beyond its financial means. MMCSL has also been granted the first right of refusal for various spinoff opportunities at SPC. These include juice concentrate production, an agency to sell third-grade fruits remaining in Botswana, a filling station, and wooden pallets for packaging produce for local and international markets. Chairperson of MMCSL, Motlamorago Gaseitsiwe, emphasised the cooperative's openness to partnering with external investors to capitalise on these spinoffs and create more job opportunities for Batswana.
“We invite other cooperatives to join forces with us by investing in the citrus spin-offs. “We also invite all other interested investors to reach out to us,” he said recently, during the various events that marked the first harvest at SPC. Gaseitsiwe told Mmegi that he is very optimistic that investors and other cooperatives across the country will explore the opportunity to partner with MMCSL. "We haven't initiated talks with potential investors or interested cooperatives yet. “However, we anticipate receiving proposals starting in April and exploring investment options related to the spinoffs. We were just waiting for the first harvest," he stated, emphasising the feasibility of SPC's spinoffs. "Regarding acquiring the 10% shareholding at SPC, we have just initiated the process. We are considering directly purchasing the shares with financial institutions' assistance," he added.
While it is widely acknowledged that Khama holds the title of Kgosi, the government’s failure to properly gazette his recognition has raised serious concerns about adherence to legal procedures and the credibility of traditional leadership. (See a story elsewhere in this newspaper.) Recent court documents by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse, shed light on the intricacies of Khama’s recognition process....