Saltlakes Holdings (Private) Limited, a predominantly Zimbabwean agricultural investment company, has ramped up its ties with the Chinese market by signing an exclusive dealership agreement with JiangSu Changfa Group (JCG), The Sunday Mail reported on Sunday.

The deal entails the distribution of farming equipment and implements, among them tractors under the Changfa brand, Saltlakes chief executive Temba Mliswa revealed. Apart from the co-operation of his Chinese partners, Mliswa said they (Saltlakes) were thankful for the unstinting support and open-door policy of personnel at the Zimbabwean embassy in Beijing.

Under the arrangement, Saltlakes would not only sell or restrict itself to the Zimbabwean market, but also target four other Southern African countries, such as Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The services can also be extended to Angola, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania.

This distribution channel not only gives the Zimbabwean firm access to a wider Southern Africa Development Community market, but is also one of the largest deals in the region.

Based in Jiangsu Province, JCG is an integrated industrial group specializing in the manufacture of agricultural equipment, cooling systems, internal combustion engines and real estate investments.

JCG produces high-calibre tractors of pulling power or capacities exceeding 80 horsepower, with engines comparable to the world-renowned Perkins brand.

The group also features among China's top five tractor producers or companies that its tie-up with Saltlakes will provide the latter's contracted farmers, under an agriculture ministry- backed tobacco outgrower scheme, with a one-stop shop for procuring necessary equipment such as tractors.

Source: Xinhua