PressCane has announced its plans to invest into a new milling machine to be generating additional molasses and meet ethanol production demand. The news was revealed by PressCane Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Guta, during a tour by Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Salim Bagus.

Currently, PressCane is working with 204 farmers who are producing 137,000 tonnes of sugarcane at Chisanja farm in Chikwawa District, supplying to Illovo Sugar Malawi for molasses. Once the investment is implemented, it will boost production as well as increase employment at the Ethanol distillery company.

“When we were configuring that investment, we had three major areas, one is production of sugar feedstock, treatment of effluent where we wanted to have a zero liquid discharge facility and the element of us being able to generate power.” said Guta. On the other hand, Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister, Salim Bagus, addressed high sugar prices and an influx of smuggled sugar into the country. “I asked why local sugar is expensive and they have told me that it is because of the high cost of production coupled with influx of illegal sugar.” he said.