South African Members of Parliament from the KwaZulu Natal Province have tipped the Malawi Government on the possibility of sugarcanes being the answer to the country’s financial entanglements.
The Parliamentarians who are part of the South African Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and rural development made the call during their learning visit to Malawi, part of which they visited the Greenbelt’s sugar manufacturing subsidiary, the Salima Sugar Company Limited.
According to leader of delegation for the South African Parliamentarians’ group who is also Chairperson for the committee, Legislator Ntombikayise Sibhidla, the delegation was impressed with the Malawi Government’s involvement in the production of sugar and farming of sugarcane through the Greenbelt Authority at Salima Sugar Company, and that it was their wish to see the move succeed for Malawi.
“Sugarcane is a very strategic crop for development. We in South Africa are also exploring the same because we see that venturing into it would address some of the financial problems that our country has, and we would like to encourage you our colleagues to work hard on this and do not give up no matter what the challenges you face,” said the Chaiperson.
She further said the committee was more thrilled with the implementation of funding reforms at Salima Sugar Company which has the capability of improving Malawi's economy.
Commenting on the assertions, Executive Chairperson for Salima Sugar Wester Kosamu said the company is implementing measures aimed at expanding production capacity, as such the encouraging sentiments from the South African delegation were timely and meaningful.
Kosamu said over the years that his company has been producing sugar, management has drawn a lot of positive lessons that have necessitated internal reforms that they are currently implementing to allow the company grow further.
“What the South African colleagues have said is very true; sugarcane is a very high value crop and we can attest to that fact; as such we are not going to go backwards but rather engage more extra gears,” Kosamu said.
Currently the Salima Sugar Company Limited produces that is crushed and processes into sugar every year.
