Government has expressed the need to invest more in Greenbelt as one way of transforming the country’s economy.
Minister of Irrigation and Water Development Charles Mchacha said this after touring Salima Sugar factory which is a product of Greenbelt Authority.
Mchacha accompanied by his Deputy Minister Eshter Majaza said Greenbelt has a potential of turning around the economic status of the country hence the need to have serious investors in the sector.
“For the look of things it is clear that as a country if we put more energy and resources to Greenbelt initiative for sure the country economy won’t be same in next years to come” Mchacha explained.
The Minister who toured the factory and the whole sugarcane field said it is pleasing to note that since the company’s inception it continues to grow in its operations which has helped smallholder farmers in Salima and surrounding districts.
Mchacha said: “I’m told the company has now employed close to four thousand people, this is remarkable achievement in terms of uplifting the well-being of Malawians.
For his part Acting Chief Executive officer for Greenbelt Authority Amon Mluwira said the company has lined up a number of measures to increase its Production this year and beyond.
” We are making good progress as a company , for instance last year we managed to produce thirteen thousand metric tonnes of sugar but this year we are targeting twenty six thousand metric tonnes” Mluwira said.
Mluwira said President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s administration for showing political will in supporting the company.
Meanwhile Salima Sugar is expected to invest more in remaining six thousand hectors in a bid to increase its production.
The company started its operations in 2016 since then its production has been increasing each milling season.
