Mozambique is expecting to produce about 254,000 tonnes of sugar this year, which represents a 20 per cent rise, when compared with the 212,000 tonnes produced last year.
The country has currently 48,000 tonnes of sugar in stock, which, added to the expected production of this year, means enough sugar to supply the entire domestic market and leave plenty over for export.
Agriculture Minister Helder Muteia said on Thursday, during the inauguration of the 2004 campaign, that Mozambican sugar exports are set to reach 129,000 tonnes which, if prices remain stable, may earn the country about 29 million US dollars.
Cited in Friday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias", the chairperson of the Mozambican Sugar Producers Association, Tony Currier, said that with current production levels the country may now compete for new markets apart from Europe.
Four sugar plantations and mills are currently operating in Mozambique, at Marromeu and Mafambisse, in the central province of Sofala, and at Xinavane and Maragra in Maputo province, in the south.
The sugar sector has, so far, created about 27,000 jobs in the four units, making this sector the largest agro-industrial employer, after the bankruptcy of almost all of the cashew processing factories.
Currier noted that his sector is producing not only sugar, but also molasses, for the liquor factories, thus contributing to further employment and stabilisation of rural families' income.
During Thursday's ceremony, Transport Minister Tomas Salomao inaugurated a 16 kilometre branch line that links the Xinavane mill to the main Limpopo railway, and thus to Maputo port, which will allow a reduction in the costs of exporting sugar.
Salomao said that the sugar sector is committed to rehabilitating the Maputo port sugar terminal in order to improve the services rendered to clients.
So far, this terminal has been serving only foreign exporters from South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe but, with the inauguration of the new branch line, it will also serve the Xinavane and Maragra mills.
Fonte:AIM
