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more land being put under cultivation, an industry group said recently.
At a conference on sugar production in Swaziland, Sugar Association chief executive Mike Matsebula said they would raise production by about 11 percent this year.
“We are currently producing, in round numbers, 600 000 tonnes per year.
“In five years, we will be producing an additional 150 000 tonnes at least,” he said.
Sugar is the second biggest source of foreign exchange for Swaziland, ranked third-largest sugar producer in Africa.
“More land is being brought under cane. There is at least two major irrigation projects, which are intended to provide water for more cane that is going to be cultivated,” Matsebula said.
He put the new land to be planted with sugar at 12 000 hectares in the next five years and 1 000 this year, on top of the 44 000ha already under cultivation.
Although the country has low lying lands with good soil and a warm climate ideal for sugar growing, a drought cut its production to 582 000 tonnes last year from just over 600 000 tonnes in 2009.
“We are starting from a lower base than it would have been the case otherwise,” Matsebula said.
Swaziland exports half of its sugar output to East Africa and Europe, while the rest is consumed locally and in the Southern Africa Customs Union, which is treated as a domestic market. – feedblitz.com.
Online Reporter