Salima sugar company has disclosed that it plans to expand its factory and estate as part of its new established reforms.
Speaking during a tour by the KwaZulu Natal Parliamentary committee on agriculture and rural development, Board chairperson for the company Webster Kossamu disclose that the company will soon start the production of its own ethanol.
"Currently the company is not making profits as it has huge debts as of now, the company was established with a load from the Indian government which the government of Malawi is still paying as such the government is not benefiting," he explained.
According to Kossamu the reforms that have been established are to address some of the challenges that the company is currently facing.
"We would like to expand our factory and estate so that we will be able to grow more sugarcane for a large-scale sugar production and soon we will be producing our own Ethanol which will help in forex generation," he further highlighted.
Meanwhile while appreciating the new reforms, Chairperson for the committee Ntombikayise Sibhidla said there's need for their committee and the country's committee on agriculture to have a meeting on how best they manage state owned factories.
"Back in South Africa we are also passionate about sugar production, I believe if the reforms that are being proposed are put to action, the company will soon be of great benefit to the country's economy," she highlighted.
according to Sibhidla some of the challenges that the company is facing are the same as state owned companies in South Africa are facing and the two countries can work together to find solutions.
Currently Salima sugar manages to produce 21 thousand tons of Sugar annually.