Mutare — THERE is great demand in the SADC region for former Zimbabwean commercial farmers who lost their land and property during the chaotic fast track land reform exercise, The Standard understands.

A number of the farmers have moved to Mozambique and Zambia where they were offered huge tracks of land. Others have travelled North to Nigeria where they have found land in abundance in Kwara state, which has spearheaded a campaign to lure the productive farmers.

Acting Malawian ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bill Itaye, last week made a passionate appeal, during a meeting, for Zimbabwean farmers to invest in his country.

Itaye, who was in Mutare, said there were vast opportunities for interested Zimbabwean farmers as well as businesspeople.

The meeting, organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, (ZNCC) was aimed at highlighting business opportunities between Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique.

He said his country needed wheat farmers and those that could rear livestock.

"The country does not produce wheat and it is in great demand. We offer duty-free and tax-free for businesses that already pay tax in Zimbabwe when they open branches in Malawi," Itaye said.

In the last 10 years, he said, Zimbabwe exported up to US$95 million worth of goods to the country while Malawians exported between US$9-10 million worth of goods.

"Malawi has been largely dependent on Zimbabwe for footwear, cooking oil and margarine and we are happy Cottco (Cotton Company of Zimbabwe) has moved into the country," he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, the Mozambican Consul-General, Americo Chicolete, who is based in Mutare told the gathering that his country needed Zimbabwean farmers and business people.

Speaking in Portuguese, he said: "You mean a lot to Mozambique, we have rich soils for agriculture.

"There are no land problems in the country as we nationalised it soon after independence and has remained state land. There are no fears of land invasions and there is security in the country."

Chicolete said his country was in dire need of foreign investors, adding international investors would have to have at least US$50 000 while smaller businesses would require US$5 000 to set up businesses in the country.