Africa-Press – Tanzania. KILOMBERO Sugar Company Limited (KSCL) has recorded all-time high sugarcane crushing season, thanks to the prolonged harvest period.
KSCL, the largest sugar producer in the country, crushed 1,409,995 tonnes of canes in 2020/21 season compared to 1,120,059 tonnes in 2019/2020.
The sugar firm, despite crushing 25 per cent more canes in the just ended season, failed to meet its set target due to lower cane sucrose.
KSCL Head of Corporate Affairs, Joseph Rugaimukamu, attributed the success of the record-breaking cane crush to the dry spell and delayed season closure.
“This is the first time that our factories were able to crush that amount of cane in one season,” Mr Rugaimukamu said yesterday.
The last time KSCL came closer to this season figure was in 2014 where 1,356,549 tonnes of sugarcane were crushed.
Despite the record breaking crushing production, the firm, managed to produce 123,167 tonnes of sugar, which was below the season target of 127,871 tonnes.
“Although we haven’t reached our target for sugar production this season, we are pleased to crush more cane from growers,” Mr Rugaimukamu said, adding: “This will put us in a better position to begin the season with quality cane, and hopefully more sugar.”
KSCL said 48 per cent was sourced from small-scale cane growers within the Kilombero Valley. The company said in 2019/20 season performance was affected by heavy rains which caused floods in the cane fields hinder supply of cane to the factories.
KSCL is optimistic that in the next season starting next Month will meet target and produce projected 125,096 tonnes of sugar.
Meanwhile, KSCL is awaiting shareholders’ approval for doubling both cane and sugar productions. KSCL is owned 75 per cent by Illovo while the remaining 25 by Tanzania.
