HARARE (Agencies) – A multi-billion dollar paper recycling and cotton producing projects are set to boost printing and textile industry of the country as number of foreign investors has expressed interest in joint partnerships with local companies, sources from the industry said here on April 18.

Sources from the industry also clarified that those foreign investors mainly includes companies from Asia. Further successful conclusion of the deals could see the country earning billions of dollars from exports as growing emphasis is being put on the need to develop export oriented business operations.

Mr Laputa Hwamiridza, MD of Dezign Incorporated which is a local textile manufacturing company said that there is a growing demand for local textile and paper products in the Asian region and also pointed out that other Asian countries like Indonesia and India over the past few months reaffirmed their commitment to forge partnerships with local companies.

Further the Asians are said to be keen on locally produced natural cotton, since there is growing disappointment over the use of synthetic cotton in most European and Asian countries as ever since last year’s International Cotton Conference, there has been a sharp decline in demand for synthetic cotton and these companies are keen to partner so as to ensure a constant supply of natural cotton.

Zimbabwe is among leading cotton producers in the world and these proposed partnership agreements, if successfully concluded, will see cotton overtaking tobacco as the country’s leading foreign currency earner.