Malawi Sugarcane Farmers Face Losses Due to High Production Costs
The concerns emerged during a training session for 762 farmers organized by the Southern Region Cane Growers Association.
CHIKWAWA, Malawi— Small-scale sugarcane farmers in southern Malawi are struggling to turn a profit due to high production costs and limited processing options, industry representatives said, writes Moses Thole.
Members of the Kasinthula Cane Growers Association cited transportation expenses and dependency on a single processing company as major obstacles to profitability.
"We are not making profits because the production cost is high," said Maria Lapken, a farmer from Biason Village. "We don't have our trucks to carry sugarcane to the factory, which is a heavy blow to our business."
Robert Mdziweni, chairman of Malawi's National Cane Growers Association, blamed the government's failure to introduce legislation regulating sugar imports.
He said farmers receive 60% of revenues while other stakeholders, including processor Illovo Sugar Malawi, take the remaining 40%.
"We are struggling as small-scale farmers. We are trying our best in production, but the lack of a factory to process on our own is challenging," Mdziweni said.
The concerns emerged during a training session for 762 farmers organized by the Southern Region Cane Growers Association.
The event aimed to educate farmers about their responsibilities in sugarcane production.
Robert Liman, regional coordinator for the association, called the training a "game changer" for the industry.
"We want farmers to change their mindset. We wanted them to know the whole process involved in all stages," Liman said.
He added that similar training would be provided to Phata cooperatives, another sugarcane farming group in the district.
Tione Malizani, an extension officer with Phata cooperative who attended the training, urged farmers to participate actively in such educational opportunities.