By Fostina Mkandawire
Salima, September 21: A delegation of commercial farmers and agricultural authorities from Zimbabwe has hailed Salima Sugar Company Limited (SSCL) for embracing the use of technology in producing high quality sugar.
The sugarcane farmers visited SSCL to appreciate the company’s progress in sugar production as well as development of sugarcane farming among smallholder farmers.
Leader of the Zimbabwean delegation Dr. Tendai Chibarabada said on Wednesday the machines that are being used at Salima Sugar are more advanced compared to what they use in Zimbabwe.
She said that the machinery they found at Salima Sugar is not selective in the sense that the different varieties of sugarcanes are used while in their country the machines used are selective because some varieties are not used to make sugar.
“We are impressed with the quality of sugar being produced due to the use of advanced machinery which is commendable,” she said.
She said involving smallholder farmers has also boosted the livelihoods of surrounding communities, a development she described as economically uplifting.
She, therefore, encouraged the farmers to also embrace technology by not depending on rain fed agriculture only but also use irrigation for farming so that they should be benefiting throughout the year.
On his part Chief Executive Officer for the Greenbelt Authority, Eric Dudley Chidzungu said the visit had given the Authority and its subsidiary company more insights that will help in fostering growth.
He said: “We are, currently, undertaking reforms that will open more doors for smallholder farmers’ participation in the sugar industry which is deemed lucrative.”
During the interaction, the two sides exchanged sugar from their respective countries as symbols of unity in the production of sugar.
