Online Reporter
George Maponga-Masvingo Bureau
A NEW era is beckoning for more than 500 A2 commercial sugarcane farmers at Mkwasine Estates in Chiredzi where the Government wants a new sugar mill to be established in a development that will transform the fortunes of cane growers.
Mkwasine farmers had faced challenges transporting their cane to Triangle and Hippo Valley Estates, a distance of around 60km.
They incurred high costs for using rail to move their cane for milling which ate into their profits, making their operations unsustainable.
Now, the farmers are set for a major lifeline as the Second Republic wants a mill to be set up at Mkwasine with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce having already tendered for the game-changing project.
Permanent Secretary for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa said plans were at an advanced stage for a new sugar mill to be built at Mkwasine estates.
“A new sugar mill is earmarked for Mkwasine estates in Chiredzi and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has already tendered for the project,’’ said Dr Pazvakavambwa.
“The new sugar mill will reduce transportation costs for farmers in the Mkwasine area while also bringing the much-needed competition between millers.’’
Currently, Lowveld sucrose maker, Tongaat Huletts Zimbabwe enjoys a monopoly in milling as the firm owns Zimbabwe’s only two sugar mills at Triangle and Hippo Valley in Chiredzi.
The two mills have a combined milling capacity of 630 000 tonnes.
Zimbabwe Sugarcane Development Association (ZSDA) chairman Mr Elisha Tamirepi welcomed the plans.
“For the cane farming community in Mkwasine the new mill is a welcome development because it will cut transport costs which will mean more money in the farmers’ pockets. High rail costs to transport our cane for milling from Mkwasine was weighing heavily on our operations,’’ said Mr Tamirepi.
“Even the quality of our cane will improve because currently the harvested cane will spend many days before being shipped to the mills by which time the crop would have deteriorated milling.’’
Besides high costs of railage in cane milling, Mkwasine farmers also face perennial water challenges that also eat into yields as the sole water source, Manjirenji Dam, along Chiredzi River, battles to supply adequate water for irrigation.
The dam is overwhelmed by demand for irrigation water at Mkwasine while outlet pipes are leaking due to obsolescence.
Mkwasine farmers are also at the mercy of wild animals that destroy their crop
