Mozambique: Sugar mills invest US$800 million

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Mozambique: Sugar mills invest US$800 million

11:50 CAT | 06 Dec 2017

Notícias

Private investment in the Mozambican sugar industry has reached about US$800 million in recent years, and financed four of the six factories in the country – the Marromeu, Mafambisse, Xinavane and Maragra sugar mills in Sofala and Maputo respectively.

Speaking at the launch of the country’s vitamin A sugar fortification programme in Mafambisse last week, Joao Jegue, executive director of the Association of Sugar Producers in Mozambique (APAMO), said that annual installed capacity had increased by about half a million metric tons from 50,000 hectares of cane fields.

The workforce had also increased substantially, by about 41,000 workers, meaning that, directly and indirectly, some 213,200 people benefit from the employment generated by this sector of the manufacturing industry.

Before the process of rehabilitation began, production in Mozambique was only 13,000 metric tons per annum from a planted area of 3,914 hectares. Now, the sugar industry has become the largest employer in the sector, in the order of about 60 percent.

Growth in production capacity has multiplied by about 13 times, thanks to the creation by the government of a favourable environment for the sugar business.

Having achieved the sugar industry’s common goal, albeit with residual challenges, the executive challenged the industry to become involved in the ongoing partnership between itself and the World Food Programme, within the framework of supporting management in accelerating progress towards sustainable development goals.

The aim is to reduce hunger and improve access to adequate nutrients through the National Basic Food Fortification Programme. For researchers in the sugar industry, the fight against malnutrition means stepping up their intervention and helping Mozambicans to become healthier.

In a scenario where the world sugar market is increasingly distorted and the opportunities for export are becoming narrower, the focus is on increasing domestic consumption, in which Mozambique is still among the lowest in the world.

By Horácio João

Source: Notícias