Presscane to have fertiliser production plant by 2017

Malawian company PRESSCANE Limited has unveiled plans to install a fertiliser manufacturing plant at its ethanol production site in Chikwawa at a cost of US$20 million.

The fertiliser plant is one of the components of a project the company has embarked to increase ethanol production by engaging farmers to grow and sell sugarcane to the ethanol distillery.

Presscane intends to use the ethanol production residues and some molasses for production of fertilisers at the proposed factory.

Presscane operations manager, Bryson Mkomaanthu, said installation works of the plant is planned to start mid next year for completion by end 2017.

He said the company has already started engaging potential firms for the supply of the machinery to be followed by a bidding process.

“The target is to ensure that all substances that we throw away during the ethanol production should be used for fertiliser production. This will help minimise fertiliser importation and foreign exchange expenditure,” he said.

Mkomaanthu said viability studies already show potential for the project.

Malawi imports most of its fertiliser, which is also a main component in the government sponsored farm input subsidy programme.