HARARE, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe is seeking Chinese investment for the Goromonzi Agro-Industrial Park (GAIP), a high-tech farming and agro-processing special economic zone in Mashonaland East Province, according to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA).
Speaking at an investment promotion event in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare on Thursday, Pardon Nyandoro, investment manager at ZIDA, said the initiative aims to build a competitive, export-oriented agricultural sector by integrating production, processing, and value addition.
The promotion event, which drew about 50 Chinese enterprises, was organized by Crowe Zimbabwe, a firm that offers audit, tax, and advisory services, in collaboration with the China Zimbabwe Exchange Center (CZEC).
Nyandoro noted that the 1,025-hectare industrial park, located about 40 km from Harare, is ideal for investment due to its proximity to major trade corridors, water supplies, and productive agricultural land.
According to the Goromonzi Agro-Industrial Company, which is spearheading the project, a comprehensive feasibility study has been completed.
Cooperation areas include constructing solar power plants, a packaging and processing center, cold chain facilities, transportation systems, warehousing, infrastructure, and hotel and accommodation services.
As a special economic zone project, investors will enjoy multiple preferential policies, including reduced corporate income tax, simplified import-export approvals, and a liberalized legislative framework that lowers the cost of doing business, Nyandoro added.
Zhao Ke, founder of the CZEC, said the GAIP would create a modern agricultural industry cluster, accelerating Zimbabwe's agricultural industrialization by combining the country's rich resources with China's expertise in agricultural technology, processing, and infrastructure. ■