Bakhresa kicks off sugar production

BERNARD LUGONGO

Tanzania’s business and industrial moguls, Mr Said Salim Bakhresa

SUGARCANE growing on the 10,000 hectares of land that President John Magufuli offered to one of Tanzania’s business and industrial moguls, Mr Said Salim Bakhresa (pictured), has started.

As development towards implementation of the president’s appeal to produce enough sugar to meet the country’s demand, the Said Salim Bakhressa Company has embarked on planting seedlings. The seedling planting at the farm at Makurunge in Bagamoyo district is set to last for six months, according to the spokesperson of the company, Mr Hussein Sufian.

Mr Sufian yesterday explained that the planting of seedlings will go hand in hand with the construction of a sugar processing industry, a project which will take about two years. The Manager of the Bagamoyo Sugar Limited, Narayanan Krishna, assured Tanzanians that the industry will start producing sugar by mid 2020.

The Supervisor of the sugarcane farm, Mr Reuben Gondwe said the farm will be a key contribution towards the country’s vision to attain industrial economy. When issuing the land last year, President Magufuli asked the prominent businessman to use the land for sugar production since the country can grow and produce its own instead of importing.

The President was speaking at Mwandege in Mkuranga district, Coast region, during an official inauguration of a new company, Bakhresa Food Products Limited which produces a variety of soft drinks. According to Dr Magufuli, the government has offered the 10,000 hectares after being convinced that Mr Bakhresa was investing in the country for the benefit of all Tanzanians.

“You are the best example of businesspeople we want ... the best taxpayer and you have created many employment opportunities. If there is anyone who has been blaming you, that person must be a devil,” the President remarked.

The head of state said the plot of land was offered freely to Mr Bakhresa after confiscating it from an investor who had failed to use it for the benefit of the country. He asked the prominent businessman to venture into sugar plantation and put up processing industries, promising that even if he needed another plot of land, the government was ready to offer it.