Second sugar factory to open on August 1

Businessperson and philanthropist Napoleon Dzombe, owner of newly-built Mtalimanja Sugar Factory in Nkhotakota, has said his company will be officially opened on August 1 2012 now that installation of machines is almost complete.

“I can confirm that machine installation project is almost complete and by August 1 2012, the factory is expected to start production. Today, we are running test production,” said Dzombe yesterday.

Installation of factory plants, bought in Asia, started in April this year.

“The factory was supposed to be up and running by May this year, but it delayed due to foreign exchange crisis the country was facing. We were unable to pay for the machinery,” he said.

Dzombe said after test production, they will work towards getting certification from the Malawi Bureau of Standard (MBS).

“This is a small plant being done on a pilot basis. I have installed it while awaiting a major plant to be operationalised by 2014,” he said.

Dzombe has so far spent over K500 million (about $2m) on the current project.

Mtalimanja Sugar Factory has over 300 acres of sugarcane, a smaller size to suit the smaller plant.

Nation Publications Limited (NPL) crowned Dzombe 2009 Nation Achiever at his Mtalimanja school of agriculture for his innovativeness and philanthropic activities.

The philanthropist is currently running a plant that manufactures Vitamin A fortified ready-to-use therapeutic foods, an orphanage, an agriculture college and also maize estates.