Tanzania to boost sugar production with two factories
Tanzania is set to boost its sugar production capacity with two sugar factory estimated at about $50 million.
The two plants will have an annual installed capacity of 280 metric tonnes, according to the Quality Group Limited (QGL) Project Technical Advisor, Mr Stavros Isaakidis.
The facility whose construction is expected to take 24 months, effective December 2016, will sit on the 20,000 hectares.
"We have received great cooperation from the ministry of agriculture, Sugar Board of Tanzania, Tanzania Investment Centre and all other stakeholders," he said, adding: "The investment is part of efforts to heed President John Magufuli's call for industrial led economy across the country."
The advisor said the project will be implemented in phases, with the first phase covering the installed capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes, and the second phase's 180 metric tonnes.
"QGL has collaborated with world-renowned international experts from the sugar industry, who have developed almost 300 of such sugar cane mills globally," Mr Isaakidis said.
Tanzania's demand for sugar has been increasing dramatically, with the government directing the ministry of agriculture and its trade, industries and investment counterpart to conduct a thorough assessment of the actual sugar demand.
Initially, the demand for the sweetener stood at 450,000 tonnes, with domestic producers just producing a combined total of 300,000 metric tonnes, leaving a deficit of 150,000 metric tonnes.
