By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –

MANSA Sugar, is set to invest a total of US$54 million in the plantation and production of sugar in Chembe District of Luapula Province.
The project which will be located in Chembe district is set to start next month.
Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Bornface Chimbwali who confirmed the development in an interview from Mansa yesterday said the plantation would be located near the Multi Facility Economic Zone (MFEZ) while the plant would be located with the economic zone.
Mr Chimbwali said the company had already identified 2,500 hectares of land and all that had remained was formal allocation by Chembe District council.
“Of the 2,500 hectares of land, 100,000 hectares will be used for necessary purposes,” he said.
He said the project which was expected to commence in April this year would be divided into three phases.
He explained that during phase one of the project would invest an initial amount of US$25 million with the workforce of 450.
Mr Chimbwali said once production starts, the company would be producing about 18,000 tonnes of sugar per year alongside ethanol production.
He said the second phase of the project would require 5,000 hectares of land with an out-grower scheme of 500 farmers with an additional investment of US$12 million.
The company would under this phase employ 750 local people and was expected to produce 24,000 tonnes annually.
Mr Chimbwali said that during phase three the company would require 10,000 hectares of land with an out-grower scheme of 2000 farmers.
He sugar company which would need an additional investment of US$7 million would under this phase create over 1,000 jobs.
Mr Chimbwali said the company would increase production levels to 36,000 tonnes per year while ethanol production whose capacity has not been stated would also be increased