Tag Archives: Salima Sugar Company Limited

Business, Malawi

“Salima Sugar Company has potential to feed Malawi but….”-CSOs

Lloyd M’bwana

SALIMA-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil rights groups under the banner Malawi Civil Society Led Black Economic Empowerment Movement (MaBLEM) and Human Rights Conservative Committee (HRCC) with 91 membership say Salima Sugar Company has potential to feed the nation with Sugar arguing that only a few selfish individuals are deliberately derailing the firm’s operations.

The CSOs observed that Salima Sugar needs full support from the general public, authorities for the company to meet both local and international Sugar demand.

After touring the facility on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Salima, MaBLEM chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba observed that the company has enough land to produce sugar while generating much needed forex that can beat tobacco.

Mkwezalamba added that the company needs factory expansion and rehabilitation for maximum production.

“We have enough sugarcane to produce sugar but the factory is failing to absolve sugarcane yields for maximum production.

“The company former administrators lack vision for the company only for selfish-interests. Huge some of money went into individuals pockets while the factory not developed despite making profits in shortest period of time,” said Mkwezalamba.

He adds, “Salima Sugar Limited is the nation’s pride. We can’t allow our taxes to be misused by selfish individuals. We want the company to meet local and international sugar demand while generating forex”.

The tour to the site aimed at appreciating the efforts the company is making to stabilise sugar supply in the country.

“The visit is not a fault finding mission but a platform where the company and the CSOs can share ideas on how best to turn around the sugar scarcity situation.

“MaBLEM was formed as an arm of HRCC to advance the interests of citizens especially where there are concerns. We take those concerns to duty bearers so that together we can all find solutions,” he said.

Mkwezalamba added that the grouping has represented Malawians before when Malawi has electricity challenges by engaging the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) and the disbanded Electricity Generation Company (Egenco).

Salima Sugar company Acting Factory Manager Osman Kapida said since resuming production on 16 April 16, 2024, the factory is producing 1,250 metric tonnes of high quality sugar per day.

“We know that people were doubting that we can produce quality Sugar but people will judge when they see and taste the kind of Sugar that we are producing,” he said.

Kapida however disclosed that the factory is failing to produce much needed 25,000 tones of sugar due to low capacity.

Salima Sugar was established in 2015 with Malawi owning 40 percent of the shares while an Indian company owned 60 percent but when it was disbanded earlier this year due to management issues, government owns 88 percent of the shares.

The company has plans to expand sugarcane production to 1, 000 hectors.

During the media tour, CSOs found out that former company leadership, the indians forsaken the workers well-fair, no Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to sorounding communities.

Business, Human Rights

Two weeks ultimatum on Salima sugar to improve employees’ safety

Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Minister of Trade and Industry Simplex Chithyola Banda has given an ultimatum of two weeks to Salima sugar company management to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPES) to its employees.

Chithyola made the remarks in Salima on Friday, April 21, 2023 when he toured the company.

He said employees at Salima Sugar Company Limited disclosed that poor working conditions at the company such as safety, low pay and lack of other benefits are demotivating them to perform diligently at the institution.

One of the workers, who is the Irrigation Supervisor at the company Nicodemus Chinunda claims that workers do not have proper accommodation structures and are not entitled to crucial benefits such as transportation, housing and medical Insurance.

However, Banda has commended the company for generating its own electricity and has shown interest in the company’s plans to expand its business by not only producing sugar.

Reacting to the concerns, Salima Sugar Company Limited’s secretary Charles Thupi acknowledged challenges workers are facing saying the company has drafted policies that will address the issues the workers have raised.