National sugar producers recently assured that the production stoppage at Maragra Açúcar, located in Maputo province, is not affecting market supply, guaranteeing that there is enough “stock” to meet domestic and export needs.
“There is no shortage of sugar on the market, as there is more than enough product. Although Maragra Açúcar is of great importance, there are other producers like the Xinavane and Mafambisse factories, which are still committed to supplying the market at all levels,” said the executive director of the Mozambican Sugar Producers Association, Orlando da Conceição.
According to him, over the last ten years, production has averaged around 350,000 tonnes a year, in a context where the country absorbs only half of this quantity.
On the other hand, with regard to the return of activities at the closed sugar mill, the source pointed out that work is underway to repopulate the cane fields, which were destroyed by the heavy rainfall during the 2022-23 rainy season.
“The rain that fell in February 2023 caused damage to the cane fields and equipment belonging to the Maragra Sugar company, and also devastated the production fields, leading to a loss of 3.6 billion meticais,” he said.
Orlando da Conceição added that more than 470,000 tonnes of sugar cane were lost. “The losses seriously affected the sustainability of the company which, as a consequence, was forced to reduce the number of workers from 500 to 140.”
Maragra Açúcar is located in the district of Manhiça, 80 kilometres north of Maputo province, and produces 80,000 tonnes of sugar a year from more than 460,000 tonnes of cane, also grown on its properties. It is 99 per cent owned by Ilovo, a South African group present in six southern African countries, and 1 per cent by another investor.
