Zutshwa — Zutshwa Salt project, operated by the Qhaa Qhing Conservation Trust, is in the process of expansion which would result in production increasing threefold and possible export of salt.
This was explained by the manager of Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) in Hukuntsi, Mr Golebaone Molefe, during a tour of the project by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi on Thursday.
Dr Masisi, who was in Zutshwa to launch the National Mindset Change campaign, encouraged management of Zutshwa Salt to develop strategies that would grow their business and make it sustainable.
However, Mr Molefe said the project was currently not sustainable.
"The current 44 ponds are not producing enough profit to sustain the business," he said when briefing President Masisi during the tour.
He said LEA assisted the trust to compile a business plan last year aimed at making the project profitable.
He said they sent the plan to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Southern Africa Development Commission (SADC) and Rural Development Council.
As a result, he said, UNDP assisted with P1.8 million, RDC with P2 million, and SADC P2.2 million.
He explained, "the funds would be used for expansion of Zutshwa Salt production. The tests have indicated that it is 99.9 percent pure salt. Our intention is to expand production so that we can be able to meet market demand in our country. After expansion we foresee increase in our employment rate. Our output will also triple."
Mr Molefe said the project currently employed 25 people on rotational basis every three months.
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He said the expansion project would start by August.
He said, "we will start with a minimum of four boreholes which will provide us with more mineral (salt deposit). After that we will increase the ponds from the current 44 by building another 10 bigger ponds. We will also employ more than 45 people on permanent basis. Our output will triple and we will be able to meet the market demand and export. We are working on acquiring certificates of origin in order to be ready for export."
Mr Molefe said LEA started working with the trust in 2015 by developing a business plan that led to P1.5 million funding from constituency development fund, which enabled them to increase ponds from 16 to 44.
He said Zutshwa Salt supplied all Botswana Agriculture Marketing Board facilities in the southern part of Botswana with salt, together with Maun.
Also, Mr Molefe said their salt was safe for consumption by people and livestock. He said their salt was cheap as 50 kg bags cost P54.50 and 65 kg lick blocks cost P70.
Zutshwa Salt plant supervisor, Mr Pobiso Kgamatona, said their main challenge was constant breaking of equipment due to corrosive effect of salt.
He said they use a simple method of harvesting salty water into ponds and allowing it to crystallise before adding iodine to it.
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