adminsupply the 2 132 hectares under sugar cane, an official said yesterday.
The process involves construction of an additional pump house and installation of two new pumps to augment the existing two.
Tongaat Hullet is a South African company involved in agribusiness with a bias towards sugar production in Southern Africa including Mozambique and Swaziland.
Managing director Mr Sydney Mtsambiwa said work at the pump station was underway and was expected to be finished before the end of the year.
“We want to increase production in the 2011/2012 cropping season and we want to make sure this happens,” he said, although he declined to disclose the amount the company injected into the project.
Mr Mtsambiwa said the upgrading exercise would also benefit communities in and around THZ estates including small-scale sugar cane growers.
THZ recently pledged to avail a US$45 million revolving fund to small-scale sugar cane growers programme to increase production by 3 900 hectares per year over a three-year period.
The Zimbabwe Sugar Association projects output for the 2011/12 season to surpass 370 000 metric tonnes, up from 334 288 metric tonnes in the 2010/11 season. – New Ziana.
Online Reporter