Sugar production set for big boost

DEUS NGOWI in Moshi

SUGARCANE cultivation and sugar production are set to increase substantially in East Africa as the Sugar Industry Development Trust Fund (SIDTF) chips in to support growers and producers.

SIDTF intends to support small growers and producers so that they are able to overcome their challenges and realise huge increase in sugar production that would suffice local markets and surplus to be exported.

The SIDTF Chairman, Mr Deo Lyato, revealed that at a meeting taking place here that brings together experts, sugarcane growers and sugar producers. He said the fund would work closely with the stakeholders and was upbeat that positive changes and results would be realised. The decision comes few days after President John Magufuli urged investors to increase sugar production in the country.

Sugar producers, such as TPC Limited in Moshi have reacted positively by initiating plans to increase sugarcane cultivation and sugar production. Mr Lyato said the fund was concerned that sugar production in East Africa was low as compared with Southern African Development Community (SADC) or with the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA).

He said the fund would engage in capac- i t y building and empower growers and producers f i n a n - c i a l l y to meet the set target. He called upon the experts in the sector, sugarcane growers and sugar producers to engage in a fruitful discussion about challenges in the sector and devise ways of tackling the same and the fund would be ready to support in implementing what would be decided as a way forward.

The president of Sugarcane Growers and Sugar Producers, Nestory Rwechungura, said they are out to devise approaches that would reduce production costs from the fields to sugar factories and would as well come up with new sugar factories to beef up production for local consumption and export.

Mr Rwechungura mentioned some of the challenges facing the sector as acute sugar shortage when factories close up for renovation purposes annually. He promised that the forum would work on it and come up with a solution.

However, he said that as of now there is no shortage and that citizens should not bow down to people who sell the product at higher prices than the ones set.

The Sugar Manager with Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), Mr Naskon Aseka, said the government would be in capacity building to sugarcane growers so that they produce quality sugarcane that meet demand from the factories. He said produced sugar is about 6 00,000 tonnes annually while the amount needed is 800,000 tonnes.