Tawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
Zimbabwe is this year expected to produce nearly 600 000 tonnes of sugar on the back of a boom in cane deliveries from outgrower farmers who benefited from the land reform programme and improved irrigation water supply after the completion of Tugwi-Mukosi Dam.

Last year, the country produced about 490 000 tonnes of sugar. The anticipated jump in sugar output comes as the 2017/ 2018 milling season has already started, with the country’s two mills at Hippo Valley and Triangle already running after farmers started deliveries at the beginning of this month. Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe owns the two sugar mills in the Lowveld.

The company’s corporate affairs and communications manager Ms Adelaide Chikunguru yesterday said Tongaat was expecting an increase in sugar output this year compared to the previous year.

“Our Triangle mill started processing on May 2 this year and our Hippo Valley Estates mill will go on line today May 8, 2018 (Tuesday),” she said.

“This season we are anticipating higher sugar output compared to last season mainly due to improved water availability and increased cane supplies from out-grower farmers.”

Ms Chikunguru said Tongaat produced 392 000 tonnes of sugar last season and was expecting production to hit 451 000 tonnes this year. The sugar output will hit the 600 000 tonnes mark if sugar from out-grower farmers is factored in.

“Last season, we produced 392 022 tonnes of sugar and in the current season we are anticipating an increase and this has been made possible by improved supplies of irrigation water, which also boosted yields for our out-grower farmers,” said Ms Chikunguru.

At its peak, Tongaat used to produce around 600 000 tonnes of sugar, but production has been plummeting since the turn of the millennium owing to a number of factors.