By Paul Nsomba
SALIMA-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Government has expressed the need to invest more in green belt 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 the product of Green belt Authority.
Mchacha accompanied by his Deputy Minister Eshter Majaza said green belt has a potential of turning around the economic status of the country hence the need to have serious investors in the sector.
“From the look of things it is clear that as a country should we put more energy and resources to green belt initiative for sure the country’s economy won’t be the same in the next years to come,” Mchacha explained.
The minister who toured the factory and the entire sugarcane field said it is pleasing to note that since the company’s inception,it continues to grow its operations which has helped smaller holder farmers in Salima and surrounding districts.said Mchacha:
“I’m told the company has now employed close to four thousand people, this is a tremendous achievement in terms of uplifting the well-being of Malawians.
Meanwhile Salima sugar company is expected to invest more in the remaining six thousand Hectors in a bid to increase its production.
For his part ,Acting Chief executive officer for green belt Authority Amon Mluwira said the company has lined up a number of measures to increase its production this year and beyond.
“We are making a good progress as a company, for instance last year we managed to produce thirteen metric tonnes of sugar but this year we are targeting twenty six thousand metric tonnes of sugar” GBA Acting Chief executive officer said.
The Acting CEO then hailed president Peter Mutharika’s administration for showing political will in supporting the company.
The company embarked on its operations in 2016 since then its production has been maximizing each milling season.
