Tongaat requires US$20 million for sugar mill spares

George Maponga in Chiredzi

The country’s sugar miller, Tongaat Huletts Zimbabwe, requires about US$20 million to procure spares for its two mills in the Lowveld.
Tongaat runs the country’s only two sugar mills at Triangle and Hippo Valley Estates, with the mills having a combined annual milling capacity of 600 000 tonnes.

However, the mills suffered recurrent breakdowns last year.

This saw some sugar cane being carried over into the current milling season that kicked off in April and will run until December.

Tongaat chief executive officer, Mr Tendai Masawi said his company has prepared for the milling season that is currently underway.

“The current milling season has started and farmers are delivering their cane to the mills,” he said.

“This year we anticipate that we will require between $US15 million and US$20 million to procure spares for the mills’ repairs.”