BY PRINCESS MAHLALELA
MBABANE – Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo has challenged the sugar industry in developing countries, including Eswatini, to consider diversification and value addition in strategies to ensure viability in the long-term.
The minister said this during the opening of the 62nd International Sugar Organisation Council Session held under the theme: ‘Resilient sugar industries in the midst of climate change and emerging geopolitics.’
Eswatini is Africa’s fourth largest sugar producer and the 25th largest producer worldwide.
“The focus on the primary product, which is sugar, has proven to be unsustainable in the long-term. Indeed, more can be produced from the stalk of cane, by creating various by-products from the different stages of the production processes,” he said.
He continued: “To this end, the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini challenges the sugar association and the entire industry to collaborate with Government in the establishment of a sugar industrial park where full beneficiation of sugar and byproducts will be done.”
The minister stated that the significant contribution of sugar industries in supporting growth and development in various countries is not unnoticed.
“Here in Eswatini, the sugar industry – since its inception over five decades ago – has been making tremendous positive impacts across various sectors of our economy,” he said.
The minister stated that government considers the industry as an important partner in addressing the country’s development needs.
He said through this partnership, government is aware of the challenges faced by the sugar industry and seek to address them together.
According to a report published by WHO African Business Information in 28 February 2022, Sugar is the main export commodity and accounts for over half of the country’s agricultural output of Eswatini. The report states that Sugarcane is grown under irrigation in the lowveld of the country on 57,000 hectares of land.
“The industry is highly regulated, and the Eswatini Sugar Association, an umbrella body of all growers and millers of sugarcane, markets and sells all sugar and molasses produced in the country,” states the report.
“Sugarcane production in Eswatini is forecast to increase marginally in the current year, while sugar production will increase based on more sugar cane delivered to the sugar mills, better quality of sugar cane and a better sugar recovery rate. Sugar manufacturers are attempting to reduce production costs and improve efficiencies and financial performance, and factory recoveries are set improve,” states the report.
Regarding innovation, the report states that Sugar companies are diversifying into new products such as biodegradable plastics, growing new crops and the production of rum, gin and vodka.
“Industry players are considering pursuing opportunities to supply ethanol to oil companies for fuel blending. The high cost and unreliable supply of electricity is forcing sugar companies to build their own renewable solar energy plants, while Eswatini’s vulnerability to drought has seen companies set up water storage facilities and recycle waste water. Given the growing trend of using artificial sweeteners, it is expected that Eswatini manufacturers may increase production of these products,” the report state.
Meanwhile, a report carried by the South African Sugar Association (SASA) states that the South African sugar industry is one of the world’s leading cost competitive producers of high quality sugar and makes an important contribution to employment, particularly in rural areas, to sustainable development and to the national economy. It is a diverse industry combining the agricultural activities of sugarcane cultivation with the manufacture of raw and refined sugar, syrups, specialised sugars and a range of by-products.
SASA stated that the cane growing sector comprises 23 000 registered sugarcane growers farming in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
“Sugar is manufactured by six milling companies with 12 sugar mills operating in these cane growing regions. The industry produces an estimated average of 2.2 million tons of sugar per season. About 60% of this sugar is marketed in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The remainder is exported to markets in Africa, Asia and the Middle East,” stated SASA.
What researchers have found
A recent research in green chemistry has led to transform sugarcane and sugar crops biomass and carbohydrates into the basic chemical ingredients that go into many everyday products. All biomass from sugar crops are potential feedstocks for bio-based industries. The cogeneration of bioelectricity from bagasse and trash is now a reality in many countries and, due to the high carbon content of bagasse and leaves, can also be converted into value-added products such as biochar. Sugar crops are superior feedstocks for the production of chemicals for the manufacture of a range of value-added products which have large-scale application in agriculture and industry.
Among sugarcane-based products such as raw sugar, white sugar, refined sugar and sugar with molasses, these sugars are renewable feedstock for the production of platform chemicals for the manufacture of a range of end-products, e.g., bioplastics, industrial solvents, and chemicals. Cellulosic by-products like bagasse is used for the production of bleached pulp, glazed paper, typographic paper, printing paper, corrugated base-stock, copper printing paper, wrapping paper, fiber boards, furfural, binding agent, etc. Molasses-based products are ethyl alcohol, liquid carbon dioxide, dry ice, edible yeast, ribonucleic acid, nucleotides, adenosine triphosphate, cytidine triphosphate, polyinosinate polycytidylate, fuel oil, etc.
Other economically important products that can be produced from sugars are succinic acid, sorbitol, xylitol, glutamic acid, itaconic acid, levulinic acid and hydroxymethylfurfural. Commercial production of platform chemicals has received considerable attention in recent years in view of industry sustainability and green chemistry. The diversification in the sugar agro-industry value chain will be an important strategy for the competitiveness, profitability and sustainability.
