INCREASE GUMBO
MIRROR REPORTER

CHIREDZI – The long queues at Tongaat Hulett sugarcane mills will be a thing of the past following major maintenance work done at Hippo Valley and Triangle during the off-season, THZ head of Corporate and Industry Affairs, Darlia Garwe has said.
Garwe who spoke in an exclusive interview with The Mirror, assured farmers that most of the challenges that they faced last year have been addressed and smooth deliveries of sugarcane area expected.
“Farmers should look forward to an exciting season following extensive works at the mills to improve reliability of our milling plants,” said Garwe.
The 2024/2025 sugarcane harvesting period started on April 23, 2024.
Last season small scale sugarcane farmers faced a myriad of challenges, including long queues at the mills caused by mill breakdown. There was also a mismatch between the delivered sugarcane and what the mills could take. This time there will be controlled harvest.
“It is also expected that ongoing efforts to have controlled harvest which matches milling rate will result in fresh cane being delivered to the mills,” said Garwe.
She said the mismatch between harvesting and milling rate can also be improved through communication and adherence to quotas to avoid over cutting.
“Queuing at the mills is largely a function of mismatch between harvesting and milling rate,” said Garwe.
This season THZ is expecting to crush 3 335 595 tonnes of sugarcane compared to last season when they crushed 3 165 058 tonnes. An average of 8500 to 9600 tonnes will be crushed per day.
“Daily crush will be varying in line with limitation brought about by cane quality parameters but our thrust this season will be maximising crushing rate to shorten the season and our average daily crush ranges from 8 500 to 9 600 tonnes of sugarcane per day,” said Garwe.
Meanwhile THZ has also incorporated the use of CC cameras at the mill weighbridge in order to monitor the transportation of the cane into the mills.