Logistics companies watch the weather

Logistics operators in

Mozambique have

become weather

prophets – with

predictions of the return of the

rains varying from office to

office.

One which has seen it all

before is Manica Mozambique,

which was founded in 1849, and

is one of a handful of companies

in the region to have traded its

way through booms and busts

caused by war and drought over

three different centuries.

The company is continuing

to invest in people, systems

and equipment during the

downturn, says liner manager

Fabruque Assubuje.

Even if the rains come he

points out that agricultural

exports will not pick up until

harvesting in March 2017.

Prospects for Zimbabwe will

be assessed in October, and

those for Malawi in November,

by which time the rainfall

patterns should be established.

As for commodities, Manica

started handling chrome,

minerals, sugar, maize, copper

and rubber exports to Europe

after the Second World War.

The Great Depression of

1929 had a similar effect on the

region to the aftermath of the

2008 global financial crisis.

In 1929 it was the growth

of tobacco exports that kept

Manica and the region alive

economically.

Beira benefited from the

Second World War, and was the

gateway for exports of minerals,

tea and tobacco.

Today the drought crisis

has seen the port once again

become a

life-line, this

time for the

importation

of drought

relief.

“We are

moving both

wheat and

sorghum,” says

Assubuje.

Sorghum is

used in school feeding schemes.

“Beira remains the natural

port for Zimbabwe, Zambia

and Malawi. The port has the

potential to continue increasing

its volumes,” he says.

Having been part of the

growth of Beira and the

Mozambican rail network in the

1800s and early 1900s, Manica

is now focusing on Nacala.

It is the closest port for

Malawi and northern Zambia.

There are a number of mines

being developed in the area

and agricultural production is

increasing.

All that is holding it back is

the road and rail infrastructure

needed to link it on the land

side.

“Manica already has a

warehouse and offices in the

port. We will be part of its

growth,” he says.