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The Komenda Sugar Factory is now at a piloting and testing stage, where calibration of the machines and equipment is taking place, Trade and Industry Ministry has clarified.

Acting Director of Communication and Public Affairs at the Trade and Industry Ministry, Nana Akrasi-Sarpong, in a statement issued yesterday, said the factory is expected to be shut down sometime in late June and will resume full production in October/November when the major harvesting period for sugarcane of October-March begins.

According to him, government is committed to the success of the factory, likewise the Indian Government, hence all measures are being taken to achieve that.

Price war at play 

He revealed that the initial arrangement to buy the sugarcane from farmers at GH₵60 per tonne was later improved to GH₵80-GH₵90, as local distillers also increased their purchase price of sugarcane to the farmers. 

“The price issue invariably delayed or held up the supply of some of the sugarcane to the factory. 

“Negotiations were held with the farmers and an amount of GH₵90 per tonne was agreed at the farm gate. 

“Following this new arrangement, the farmers have started selling their sugarcane to the factory.

“The factory has been operating after the resolution of the issue on pricing with the farmers,” he added. 

Nana Akrasi-Sarpong noted that the capacity of the plant is 1,250 tonnes crushing per day (TCD) of raw sugarcane, implying an annual capacity to crush some 225,000 metric tonnes of sugarcane per year.

“Prior to its commissioning, a lot of farmers in 25 communities were identified as potential suppliers with the view to rope them into an out-grower scheme to be supplied with the appropriate seedlings to feed the factory.

“Currently, sugarcane cultivation takes place in an uncoordinated form and the produce is mainly utilised by manufacturers of local alcoholic beverage, especially akpeteshie.

“Generally, the yield of sugarcane in the Central and Western regions is good. 

“With the coming up of the new sugar factory in Komenda, an irrigation scheme for sugarcane cultivation will be undertaken with an additional $24.5 million loan from the Indian Exim Bank under the Indian government supported line of credit,” he said.

According to him, the factory has already started a nursery scheme on about 125 acres of land earmarked for the factory. 

Nana Akrasi-Sarpong explained that the out-growers would be introduced to new and better sugarcane seedling varieties, as well as best agronomic practices that will ultimately result in increased and sustained raw material to supply to the factory.

He noted that the choice to develop the irrigation scheme and sugarcane plantation in Komenda was informed by the siting of the new sugar factory, as well as the agro-climatic suitability of the area for sugarcane cultivation. 

“The development of a sugarcane plantation with an irrigation facility is targeted at an estimated irrigable area of 3,000 acres, which the sugar company should own. 

“Out-growers may supply sugarcane from an additional 5,000-7,000 acres within the catchment areas of up to six hours drive or 100 kilometres from the factory.

“In order to ensure sustained supply of raw materials to feed the factory, an out-grower scheme will be developed and farmers supplied with high-yielding planting materials for cultivation. 

“A team is currently going round to the farmers to buy sugarcane at the farm gate. 

“It must, however, be emphasised that the factory was completed six months ahead of time. 

“Since we lacked the local capacity to operate the factory, the Indian contractors have agreed to train Ghanaians on the operations of the factory,” he said.

Nana Akrasi-Sarpong disclosed that the government, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has worked on a Sugar Policy and a Sugar Act over the past years, and these will be presented to Cabinet and Parliament soon, to guide the entire sector based on lessons learnt. 

“A major instrument for managing the sector would be the establishment of a Sugar Development Board.

“The speculation that the factory has been closed down for maintenance work is inaccurate,” he added.