Tag Archives: PressCane Limited

Business, Environment

PressCane drives re-greening with tree planting in Chikwawa

MaraviPost

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-PressCane Limited has planted 400 trees around a pond area in Chikwawa, as part of efforts to promote environmental restoration in the district.

The Tree planting was exercised under the theme ‘Plant a Tree and Name It, Then Manage It’.

Speaking during the tree planting exercise on Monday, PressCane Chief Executive Officer Bryson Mkhomaanthu said the initiative is part of an ongoing programme to restore vegetation within the company’s operating area.

“It has always been our desire and habit to ensure the environment is safe. So far, we have planted over 12,000 trees since last month,” said Mkhomaanthu.

He added that the company will ensure the survival of the newly planted trees despite the early end of rainy season in the district.

“The trees we have planted will be irrigated to ensure they survive,” said Mkhomaanthu.

Mkhomaanthu further said the company plans to extend to surrounding communities willing to participate as the rainy season comes to an end.

PressCane Management Trainee Fatima Mkundula said the initiative will help improve soil stability and environmental sustainability.

She added that the location of the trees makes it easier to monitor and maintain them until maturity.

“There are people who work here throughout the week, making it easier to take care of the trees,” said Mkundula.

The trees will be tagged with the names of those who planted them, and individuals whose trees survive and grow will be rewarded.

Development

PressCane donates MK50 million in food relief to flood victims in Chikwawa

MaraviPost

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-PressCane Limited has donated food relief items worth MK50 million to over 2,500 households affected by recent flash floods in the Traditional Authorities (T.As) of Katunga and Maseya in Chikwawa District.

Speaking at the event on Saturday, the ethanol distillery company’s Chief Executive Officer, Bryson Nkhomaathu, said the company was moved to act after witnessing the devastation caused by the floods, which destroyed homes, food supplies and livelihoods.

Nkhomaathu expressed optimism that the donation will ease the burden faced by survivors as they begin rebuilding their lives.

“We intend to stand in solidarity with the people who have been affected. At this location alone, about 1,250 people were impacted, while at the previous site we visited, approximately 1,004 people were affected. Some families have managed to return to their homes, but many lost their food supplies due to the disaster,” said Nkhomaanthu.

Nkhomaanthu added that the company felt compelled to provide immediate, temporary relief as affected families seek further assistance from the government and other well-wishers.

“In total, we are currently reaching over 2,000 people — about 3,500 beneficiaries altogether. To support this effort, we have committed 50 million Malawi Kwacha, and we will continue to assess how we can extend help to even more people,” said Nkhomaathu.

He further reaffirmed PressCane’s commitment to uplifting surrounding communities through its Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, noting that the company is also investing in agriculture projects aimed at strengthening long-term resilience.

Nkhomaathu disclosed that the floods also affected the company’s airfield facilities, which are now undergoing rehabilitation, but emphasised that this did not deter PressCane from assisting affected communities.

Member of Parliament for Chikwawa Central, Gerald Bede, commended PressCane for the timely intervention and appealed to other stakeholders to support households that are yet to receive assistance.

“The number of people directly affected is approximately 2,254, while the total number of those impacted has reached close to 4,000. We are grateful for the support that has been rendered so far,” said Bede.

Bede urged the affected communities to remain resilient and cooperative with authorities and relief partners to ensure aid reaches the most vulnerable.

One of the beneficiaries, Mercy Chimwenje from Mtondeza Village, praised PressCane Limited for the timely donation, saying the support has brought relief and renewed hope to families struggling in the aftermath of the floods.

Chimwenje explained that many households lost their food supplies when the floods swept through their homes, leaving them uncertain about how they would feed their children.

“We lost almost everything when the floods came, including the food we had stored. Life has been very difficult for us, and many families did not know where their next meal would come from.

“We are truly grateful to PressCane Limited for this timely support because it will help save us from the hunger we are facing,” said Chimwenje.

Environment, Malawi

Gangata, Mbilizi storm PressCane facility over improper waste disposal

Lloyd M’bwana

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Natural Resources Minister Alfred Gangata alongside counterpart Agriculture Minister Roza Mbilizi on Monday, January 26, 2026 stormed PressCane Limited facility in Chikwawa in bid to address communities concerns over improper waste disposal.

The visit comes barely days after the country’s civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) exposed the company’s environmental mismanagement.

The joint inspection was accompanied by Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS), National Water Resources Authority (NWRA) and Malawi Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA).

After the visit, both Gangata and Mbilizi warned that government will enforce waste management laws against Presscane Limited following revelations of poor raw effluent disposal at the company’s ethanol production facility in Chikwawa District.

“As government, we will use waste management laws. Raw effluent management here is very poor and it is affecting crops, the environment and even people’s health,” said Mbilizi.

Gangata also observed that Presscane Limited failed to address concerns raised by regulators during earlier inspections.

MEPA’s Environment, Information and Education Manager, Aubren Chirwa said the company has committed multiple violations under the Environmental Management Act.

He added that Presscane will be fined for some of the violations, while others will be decided after consultations with the Ministry of Natural Resources and NWRA, noting that it is premature to state whether the company’s licence will be revoked.

Presscane Limited Chief Executive Officer, Bryson Mkhomaanthu said one of their ponds burst following heavy rains on Tuesday last week but the company moved in quickly with their equipment to stop leakage and mitigate the effects.

Business, Health

PressCane Fire Crew saves Chikwawa Hospital

MaraviPost 1 Comment

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-A firefighting team from PressCane Limited, a subsidiary of conglomerate Press Corporation Limited (PCL), on Tuesday afternoon averted more damages and injuries at Chikwawa District Hospital by putting off a fire that erupted from the facility’s Incinerator. 

As the flames spread rapidly, hospital officials quickly called for help after realizing the situation was beyond their control, and PressCane Limited, whose plant is located just a few kilometres from the hospital, responded immediately.

According to one of the eyewitnesses, who is also an official staff member at the hospital, said the situation was scary, and the PressCane prompt response was a relief to the facility.

Commenting on the matter, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PressCane Limited, Bryson Mkhomaanthu, said the swift action taken by the company’s emergency response team showed how committed the Company is to the safety of its community. 

“The moment we heard about the incident, our trained fire crew mobilized immediately, bringing in our fire engine and emergency response equipment. They arrived within minutes, swiftly containing the blaze before it could reach critical areas of the hospital,” said Bryson Mkhomaanthu.

Mkhomaanthu emphasized that its involvement goes beyond business operations.

“At PressCane, we believe our responsibility extends beyond our core business. We are here to support our community whenever they need us. This was one of those moments, and we are proud to have stood with Chikwawa District Hospital when it mattered most,” he added.

PressCane is an ethanol distillery company based in Chikwawa. 

Agriculture

PressCane invests MK10 billion in effluent treatment plant

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-PressCane Limited, a subsidiary of conglomerate Press Corporation plc, has disclosed that it has invested over MK10 billion in its Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at Dyeratu in Chikwawa and is expected to be commissioned in the next two months.

The plant will solve the long-standing problem of Vinasse handling, a by-product of ethanol which is disposed into evaporation ponds near the plant at Dyeratu and this way of disposal has been causing some environmental challenges.

PressCane Limited Chief Executive Officer Bryson Mkhomaanthu said in an interview yesterday that the ETP was set for commissioning in May last year but it has delayed due to lack of forex among other challenges.

Mkhomaanthu indicated that the plant will enable the company to convert its vinasse into a bio-fertilizer, thereby providing an eco-friendly alternative that will be available to the local community and broader market at a fair price.

“PressCane Limited remains firmly committed to responsible environmental management and continues to invest in innovative solutions to reduce its ecological footprint. This advanced treatment facility will reduce reliance on the effluent evaporation ponds, mitigating risks of overflows during heavy rains, and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.” he said.

Last week, some effluent spilled over from the ponds due to heavy rainfall leading to unintended spillage of the vinasse.

On the incident, Mkhomaanthu said they have taken decisive interventions to mitigate any adverse effects.

“The spill was contained to prevent further spread, and environmental restoration efforts are underway. Experts have been engaged to assess impact, including soil and water conditions and recommend appropriate remediation measures.”

“We have also initiated discussions with key stakeholders, including local community leaders, councilors, and affected farmers, to address concerns and explore appropriate solutions. Currently, we are expediting commissioning of the ETP to stop relying on the ponds and prevent similar incidents in the future,” he added.

Traditional Authority Maseya of the area hailed PressCane for the interventions.

“The news about the fertilizer plant is a good one for us. Our interest has always been to see the company come up with permanent solutions to the treatment of the vinasse, otherwise we will be experiencing same problems every year,” he said.

District Environmental Officer for Chikwawa, Levious Mafuta also indicated that they have created a taskforce to collaborate in resolving the matter for good.

Business

PressCane touts new fire-fighting truck

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Ethanol distiller PressCane Limited has said its recent acquisition of a brand-new fire-fighting-truck will not only serve the company but the communities as well at no cost as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The fire-fighting truck became handy on Sunday when it helped put out a fire that gutted part of Dyeratu Market just a few meters from the Press Cane ethanol plant in Chikwawa.

“We’re thrilled to announce a significant step in our commitment to safety by introducing our brand-new fire-fighting truck, a crucial addition to our Chikwawa distillery complex. This proactive measure is a testament to our dedication to ensuring safety not only within our complex but also within the community.”

“Our fire fighting personnel were called to help put out a fire which started at Dyeratu Market which is not very far from our plant and we are glad that we could lend a helping hand to our community because this truck is not for only us but all the people of Chikwawa,” said Press Cane Sales and Marketing Manager Mercy Jumula Kamanga in an interview.

“We are proud to share that our skilled firefighters have recently successfully completed a rigorous training program, endorsed by experts from the Aviation Department. Given the high flammability of ethanol, this investment bolsters our confidence in effectively mitigating fire risks. At PressCane, safety remains our top priority,” added Kamanga. 

Dyeratu Market Chairperson Henry Chimwala said they suspect that the fire may have started from an electrical fault from an electricity pole and has destroyed merchandise for traders worth millions of kwachas.

He hailed Press Cane workers for putting out the fire using the fire-fighting truck.

Chikwawa Police Station Spokesperson Dickson Matemba said they have instituted investigations into the fire to understand its cause.

Business

PCL invests MK11 bn in ethanol plant upgrade

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Press Corporation plc (PCL), through its subsidiary company PressCane Limited, has invested K11 billion in an ethanol plant that will produce high-quality potable ethanol to be used in the pharmaceutical and beverage industries, with some intended for the export market.

PCL Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Mangani, said in an interview yesterday that the ethanol plant will also have a component of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) capable of producing fertilizer, bio-gas and electricity from the waste of ethanol production.

“We are in the process of upgrading our versatile ethanol plant at PressCane Limited which will enable full utilization of its production capacity of 60,000 litres of ethanol per day.

Mangani

“This can be used for fuel blending and, more importantly, high-quality potable ethanol called ‘pharma-grade’ which can be used in the pharmaceutical and beverages industries, apart from exporting it to bring in the much-needed foreign exchange into the country,” said Mangani.

He explained that the company has made an investment of MK2 billion in the ‘pharma-grade’ potable ethanol production plant, and a further K9 billion in the ZLD plant. 

“The good thing with pharma-grade ethanol is that it is pure, and we are excited to introduce this new product because we are responding to the demands of our customers who desire a better-quality product, especially those that want a product that is capable of use in beverage and pharmaceutical production.”

“We are already in talks with foreign customers to export the product, and this will be good for our country especially now when we are having foreign exchange challenges,” said Mangani.

He also said the ZLD plant will make sure that PressCane is environmentally friendly in terms of its waste disposal as the plant is capable of producing fertilizer, bio-gas and electricity from the waste of ethanol production.

“We are happy that, with the fertilizer that we will be producing from the ZLD plant, we will save some of the forex used to procure fertilizer from outside Malawi,” said Mangani.

He further said under the pharma-grade project, PressCane will bring an additional standalone unit to process hydrous alcohol to produce an additional 30 kilolitres per day (KLPD) of anhydrous alcohol (AA).

“The unit will be capable of improving the produced AA to a quality suitable for both pharmaceutical and beverage applications. 

“This investment will, therefore, increase annual  AA production from the current 13 million liters to 18 million liters. In addition, the company will be capable of producing 7 million liters of potable ethanol in a year,” said Mangani.

Business, Environment

PressCane Limited touts environment conservation strides

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Ethanol distiller, PressCane Limited has said it is constantly finding innovative ways to conserve the environment while providing the nation with energy needs and solutions.

PressCane Limited Marketing Manager Mercy Kamanga said in an interview ahead of the commemoration of the World Environment Day on 5 June that the company will do its best to conserve the environment.

“We have a by-product of ethanol called vinasse and we are using this as a raw material to produce organic fertilizer rich in potassium which can be used in sugarcane fields and also other cash crops like maize, tobacco, rice and others,” said Kamanga.

She said PressCane Limited, a subsidiary of conglomerate Press Corporation plc, is constructing a multi-billion-kwacha waste disposal facility called ‘Zero liquid discharge plant’ at its factory at Dyeratu in Chikwawa.

“This means that there will be zero liquid discharge of waste from our ethanol production. Further, this plant will also produce bio gas which will be used to power our factory and eventually we are going to extend it to the public.”

She also said they have been producing durable hollow blocks from fly ash, a waste product generated after burning coal in boilers to produce steam used during the ethanol production process which are selling at economic price.

“We have developed and refined the hollow blocks for the past three years with expertise from the Malawi University of Business and Science (MUBAS) engineering department. On top of that we are also producing a gel fuel which is an ethanol-based product for cooking and heating food in homes and the hospitality industry.

“We believe that our gel fuel will assist to avoid deforestation by replacing charcoal to conserve the environment while promoting clean energy,” explained Kamanga.

The world commemorates world environment day on June 5 every year.

Law and order, Malawi

Press Corporation falls in court against Rolf Patel on Presscane

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Supreme Court of Appeal has declined a request by Press Corporation Limited (PCL) for the court to review its judgement made last December in favour of businessperson and retired politician Rolf Patel and his sons.

The business conglomerate wanted the Supreme Court to grant it permission to apply for review of the judgement in which the court ruled that Patel and his sons were entitled to 49.9 percent shares in Presscane Limited.

Pleased with court’s decision: Patel

This is a 20-year-old court case in which Patel and his partners are fighting the Malawi Stock Exchange-listed largest holding company in the country over ownership of Presscane Limited, an ethanol distillery company which began its operations in 2004.

PCL lawyer Davis Njobvu confirmed going to the Supreme Court to ask for permission to apply for review of the judgement delivered last December, but did not succeed.

The matter was heard by Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda and Justices of Appeal Lovemore Chikopa and Frank Kapanda,

Njobvu told Weekend Nation: “So, we basically went to the Supreme Court to apply for permission in relation to the judgement that was delivered in December last year. Unfortunately, the court refused to grant that permission.”

He said PCL will now wait for the ruling to be delivered in due course where the judges will give reasons for refusing the application before the conglomerate decides the next course of action.

Lawyer for the Patels, Justin Dzonzi, did not pick up his phone yesterday but the retired politician in a brief interview expressed a sigh of relief, saying: “I believe, as it stands now, the matter is coming to an end.

“The judges are very well-informed and that in seeking justice they just did the right thing. Overall, we are very happy that the court continues to agree with our position.”

Delivering their judgement last December, the three justices of appeal ruled that the Patels owned 49.9 percent while the remaining 50.1 percent shares belong to PCL.

The panel further ordered that Patel and his sons, namely Reuben Patel, Stanley Patel and Rolf Patel Junior, were shareholders of Cane Products Limited as such are entitled to dividends Presscane had been making for the past 19 years.

Patel used to run Cane Products Limited until 2003 when he partnered with PCL to establish Presscane Limited before PCL claimed full ownership.

Agriculture

PressCane Limited project excites Agriculture Minister Lowe

Maravi Post Author

By Mc Donald Chapalapata, Contributor

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe has pledged government support towards a project by PressCane Limited to be producing ethanol straight from sugarcane juice.

Lowe spoke at the weekend when he toured Chisanja Farm Limited, an existing sugarcane farm being run by smallholder farmers in Chikwawa and Dambo-Bwana Scheme where he saw land earmarked for a new sugarcane farm which will be supplying sugarcane to PressCane Limited for ethanol production.

“I am happy that the ethanol being produced here is not enough, which means there is an opportunity for our smallholder sugarcane farmers to make money. We are going to support the farmers through the Agriculture Commercialization project (AgCom) because our farmers have a ready market for their sugarcane,” said Lowe.

He said he was impressed with the new technologies of growing the sugarcane using the irrigation system saying the Chikwawa project will act as a learning base.

“I am pleased that apart from the ethanol which PressCane will produce for blending with imported petrol, the company will also produce high quality hand sanitizers as value added products of ethanol as well as fertilizer and electricity from waste products of the ethanol production process. That is why as a government we are going to support this project while making sure that our farmers also benefit,” said Lowe.

Briefing the Minister, Katunga-Maseya (KAMA) Cane growers Cooperative Chairman Collins Mtalika said they have mobilized smallholder sugarcane growers in Traditional Authorities Katunga and Maseya to grow sugarcane on 2000 hectares of community-owned land with support from PressCane Limited and other partners through irrigation farming.

“There are 3,500 farming families that we are working with and the first phase will be on the Dambo-Bwana’s 1069 hectares of land where 90% of it will be for sugarcane while the remaining 10% will be for food and other high value crops. We are asking for support to implement this first phase since we already have a ready market for our sugarcane at PressCane,” said Mtalika.

PressCane Chief Executive Officer Dr. Christopher Guta said the sugarcane mill which would be required to process the sugarcane will cost the company about $13 million but it is waiting for the assurance of the availability of feedstock from sugarcane farmers and approval by the company’s Board.

“There is potential for the sugarcane farmers to secure their livelihoods if they are supported to be producing enough feedstock for the milling plant which we are willing to invest in. Farmers will be cutting down on transportation costs as they are currently spending as much as K80 million per season to deliver sugarcane to the available market.”

“Through the various investment projects earmarked in the period, we anticipate to grow shareholder value and increase annual revenue from MK13.3 billion to MK25.1 billion by 2025 as well as increase operating profit by 5% above inflation annually,” said Guta.