Speaking to East African Business Week in Dar es Salaam last week, Mr Matthew Kombe, Director General of Tanzania’s Sugar Board said the country will produce 290,000 tonnes of sugar compared with 279, 851 tonnes in 2008/09. (…)

"The forecasts are that we will produce about 290,000 tonnes of sugar which is comparable to what we produced last year due to weather patterns which have remained the same," said Mr Kombe.

He added that the increasing in acreage under sugarcane and the boost in yield per hectare would raise output of the crops.

40,000 hectares under sugarcane

There are four major locally owned sugar companies; Mtibwa, Kagera Sugar, Kilombero, (…) Tanganiyka Plantation Company (…).

Kombe said the four have a total installed production capacity of 400,000 tonnes annually. There are also smaller factories like Manyara Sugar Company, which produced 2,000 tonnes last year.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing, about 40,000 hectares are under sugarcane and the industry employs over 40,000 people.

Generating electricity

The sugar board is surveying land to the east of the country and plans to add 8,000 hectares, set up a factory and later enlist another 8,000 hectares from outgrowers. "We would expect to invite investors for a greenfield investment, once the encroachment, valuation and the title deed is completed," Mr. Kombe said last week.

The sector is also examining possibilities of generating electricity for sale to state-run Tanzania Electric Supply Company. Some factories already produce power for their own consumption. (…)