. NJEULU

By JAMES KUNDA –

ZAMBIA’s sugar industry is positioned for growth following plans by an American firm to set up a sugarcane plantation and refining factory in Shangombo District in Western Province with an intial investment of US$2 billion.

This follows the allocation of 30,000 hectares of land by the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) for the development of the project.

Area Member of Parliament Poniso Njeulu said PADIC, with its offices in the US, was ready to develop the plantation at which more than 1,200 jobs in sugarcane plant processing would be created.

Mr Njeulu said in an interview that the multi-million dollar project would be done over a three phase period and will start in the second quarter of 2014.

He said PADIC would also develop its own brand of sugar which will be supplied locally and abroad to countries such as Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe.

“The project is expected to start within the second quarter of 2014 as the BRE has already authorised 30,000 hectares of land for the sugarcane plantation and factory.

It will be located 18 kilometres from the Boma and this project is meant to improve Shangombo economically,” he said.

Mr Njeulu said it was from such projects that the Government envisaged creating jobs for Zambians in sectors such as agriculture.

Government has invested K49 million for Zesco to connect Shangombo to the national electricity grid and this will enable the sugarcane plantation and factory to start operating without delay.

“The electricity distribution facility should be commissioned within the course of this February and it will enable the district attract more investors with developmental projects,” Mr Njeulu said.

He said the Government would continue providing incentives to create an enabling environment and attract investment into rural areas for job and wealth creation.