Sugarcane production surges

tonnes last year thanks to the availability of inputs, an official said on Monday.
Commercial Sugarcane Association of Zimbabwe secretary-general Mr Darlington Chiwa said good weather had also contributed to the increase in sugarcane output this year. But the availability of inputs, including financing, was the main reason for the growth in production.
“We carried out sugarcane output estimates for this year, which is set to grow from 413 000 tonnes (in 2010) to 462 000 tonnes this year,” said Mr Chiwa.
He said the quality of cane produced by CSAZ members had also improved this year.
The body had 447 members, most of whom were resettled by the Government under the land reform programme. Each farmer has an average of 20 hectares of irrigable land with potential of producing 2 000 tonnes of sugarcane per year.
Sugarcane is predominantly grown in the south of the country and currently sells at US$629 per tonne. – New Ziana.