Tongaat Hullet forecasts sweet expectations

Philemon Jambaya

Assistant Editor

Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe anticipates a 7% increase in sugar production for the year ending March 2025, bouncing back from last year's lows.

"Last year, our two mills produced 375,000 tonnes, one of our lowest outputs," said Masawi. "This year, we're aiming for 395,000 to 400,000 tonnes,” said Managing Director Tendai Masawi who attributed previous issues to bad weather, currency fluctuations, and mill maintenance challenges.

The company, however, is facing difficulties in its South African operations, which entered business rescue in October 2022.

Despite these challenges, Masawi remains confident about achieving their production targets in Zimbabwe. He highlighted that the mills are functioning well and their capacity sits at around 640,000 tonnes.

Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe works with over 1,200 local farmers, providing them with resources and support.

They are also making progress on their 4,000-hectare sugar project called "Kilimanjaro," designed to aid disadvantaged communities.

This government-backed project has already cleared a significant portion of land and is creating jobs in the area.