Adequate sugar supplies for domestic, industrial markets

DESPITE the El Nino-induced drought, Zimbabwe will have adequate sugar for the domestic and industrial markets as major dams that supply water for sugarcane irrigation in the Lowveld have sufficient water to last at least the next two seasons.

The milling industry consists two firms — Hippo and Triangle — with an installed capacity of five million tonnes of cane and processes up to 640 000 tonnes of sugar per year.

Zimbabwe Sugar Association chairman, Mr Willard Zireva, said with the current milling season underway, which resumed mid-April 2024, the industry will have sufficient cover for brown, white and manufacturer’s grade sugar stocks for the local market’s domestic and industrial use.

“The Zimbabwe Sugar Association has said despite the wishes to advise stakeholders and the general public that there will be adequate sugar supply for both household and industrial consumption despite the current El Nino induced drought that the country has experienced which has affected the harvest expected from the other agricultural crops.

“As sugarcane is a twelve-month crop grown under irrigation in Zimbabwe, the sugar that is currently on sale was produced from the sugarcane crop harvested during the previous milling season which ended in December 2023,” said Mr Zireva.

He said due to the good rainfall received during that particular agricultural season, major dams that supply water for sugarcane irrigation in the Lowveld have sufficient water to last at least the next two seasons.

The sugar industry has capacity to produce sufficient sugar in various forms and quality grades to meet domestic demand and export.

Zimbabwe has been investing in irrigation infrastructure across the country, one of the reasons for increased land under sugar cane and other crops, informed by the Government’s policy initiatives to mitigate the impact of climate change

The country has been producing an average of 400 000 tonnes of sugar a year over the past few years against an annual consumption of 300 000 tonnes to leave a surplus of 100 000 tonnes that is exported.

Recently, Hippo Valley Estates indicated that it aims to harvest 945 471 tons of cane and procure 739 329 tons from private farmers in the 2024/25 period, signalling a four percent growth from the current year.

The company foresees enhanced milling efficiencies owing to improved cane quality and the successful completion of the annual maintenance program, targeting a sugar output of 202,860 tons at a cane-to-sugar ratio of 8.26.