Zimbabwe is making significant strides toward achieving cooking oil self-sufficiency, driven by increased investments in the agricultural sector. This progress is underpinned by a surge in the production of soya beans, sunflower seeds, and cotton seeds, which are critical raw materials for cooking oil manufacturing.
Professor Obert Jiri the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement, highlighted these developments during a tour of two of the country’s largest cooking oil manufacturing companies. The tour, attended by various government officials, emphasized the positive impact of these investments on the local economy and food security.
The increased production of key agricultural inputs has allowed local manufacturers to scale up operations, reducing Zimbabwe’s reliance on imported cooking oil and strengthening its domestic industry. This shift not only contributes to economic growth but also supports job creation and the sustainability of the agricultural value chain.
According to recent statistics, Zimbabwe’s annual cooking oil consumption stands at around 250,000 metric tons, with the country currently meeting only 30% of its domestic needs through local production. However, with the expansion of agricultural output and the scaling of processing capabilities, the government anticipates a significant reduction in imports and a move toward full self-sufficiency in cooking oil production within the next few years.
