Strong capacity bolsters Tocek ‘Zadzamatura’ Investments
BRANDED as Zadzamatura in Zimbabwe, Tocek Investments (Pvt) Ltd (hereinafter referred to as Tocek Seed Company), has over the years developed adequate production capacity for seed and agro-chemicals that enables it to supply a wider regional market.
Tocek is a recently incorporated business entity with a mandate and license to market and promote Monsanto-Dekalb Seeds and agro-chemicals.
The Monsanto-Dekalb brand is a well established and well-known brand in the agribusiness sector in Zimbabwe and across the globe.
The company’s sales and marketing manager, Mr Zwelihle Ndlovu, said that Tocek Seed Company distributes seed and agro-chemicals in Zimbabwe.
The business is geared to establishing operations regionally, mainly in the Southern African bloc it is focused on marketing high-yielding and disease tolerant maize varieties and small grains, he added.
“Beside producing Monsanto maize seed varieties and agro-chemicals, Tocek Seed Company has added to its product profile soya, sorghum, wheat and sugar beans products,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“Tocek Seed Company has strategic linkages with Monsanto, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) for WEMA drought tolerant products, with respect of bulking foundation seed for WEMA products.”
He said their vision was to contribute to realisation of food security and balanced nutrition through increasing staple cereal and legume crop production for sub-Saharan Africa.
Mr Ndlovu said they were also committed to cater for all their customers’ needs by making a wide range of cereal and legume seed available at competitive prices.
“Tocek Seed Company is led by a management team that has extensive experience in the seed and agriculture business,” he said.
“It is a legally incorporated business entity in Zimbabwe and was formed after the divestiture of Monsanto in Zimbabwe. Its market share has almost been doubling each year.”
Riding on its productive efficiencies and quality standards, the company has taken advantage of the 25 percent gap created in the seed market brought about by the merger of Pioneer Hi-Bred and Pannar Seeds.
As such, Mr Ndlovu said they were now the largest seed company with 100 percent local shareholding.
“Tocek has recently registered four more Monsanto hybrids with drought and disease tolerant traits that will be on offer to farmers through the Comesa harmonised seed programme,” he said.
“Monsanto products that Tocek Seed Company is producing include DKC 8033, 8031, 9089, 8053, 777 hybrid maize while the herbicides distribution include Round Up and Harnes. These products are registered in Zimbabwe through Tocek Seed Company.”
Mr Ndlovu said their organisation was driving at opening more business interests in the African region in countries such as Zambia, South Africa, Cameroon, Botswana, Angola and Mozambique.
The Zambia market will serve Tanzania, Kenya, DRC and Malawi and its hub will be key in the growth of the whole East African Market while Cameroon will be the springboard for expansion into the West African Market.
The company has a fully functional seed processing plant with a capacity of producing 10,000 tonnes per year and a warehouse with a capacity of 2,000MT at its Mt Hampden depot.
“Because Tocek has excess seed processing capacity, it is able to do toll processing seed for other companies including the Grain Marketing Board,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“Tocek Seed Company has land available for research and demonstration on its four hectares block. On this block it has tested new crops, compared performance with other varieties, examined traits of lines and carried out population trials.”
Tocek also has a cold room facility for long-term storage of germplasm and intends to purchase electrophoresis equipment to test purity of germplasm and fully utilise its germination chamber in the seed laboratory.-The Chronicle
