* The company has so far produced about 100 tonnes of fertiliser during its commissioning process and is expected to reach the local market in October
* The plant is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes once commissioning is completed, with full-scale production expected to start next year
By Roy Howa, Malawi News Agency (MANA)
PressCane Limited says its fertiliser manufacturing plant in Chikwawa is still undergoing commissioning, with the company currently producing small quantities as it tests and finalises the facility.
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Speaking to MANA, PressCane Limited Chief Executive Officer Bryson Mkhomaanthu said the company has so far produced about 100 tonnes of fertiliser during the commissioning process.
“We are slowly producing as we are commissioning,” Mkhomaanthu said, adding that the plant is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes once commissioning is completed, with full-scale production expected to start next year.
He also said the fertiliser is expected to reach the local market in October, although the company still has to complete quality standards before commercialisation.
Chief Executive Officer Bryson Mkhomaanthu
Mkhomaanthu added that the plant’s contribution to the national fertiliser supply would be modest compared with the countrys overall demand, but the facility would also provide other economic benefits.
He said the investment would help save foreign exchange, create jobs and improve the availability of fertiliser on the local market.
The fertiliser plant is part of PressCane’s investment in converting waste from its ethanol production processes into fertiliser.
Meanwhile, another fertilizer manufacturing company in Dowa District is also in its final stages initiated by business tycoon, Napoleon Dzombe under his Mtalimanja Holdings Limited.
Dzombe told Zodiak Online last month that the company has now procured ingredients for fertilizer manufacturing, following an approval from the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA).
Dzombe added that the official manufacturing of fertilizer will start soon after the arrival of the components, adding that installation of machines was completed way back.
Napoleon Dzombe
He said the ingredients include zinc, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which were procurred from China, adding that in the near future he intends to source such materials locally.
Recently, Dzombe told Zodiak Online that the factory has the capacity to produce 40 metric tonnes of fertilizer per hour, thereby making enough commodity for the whole country in just 150 days.—Editing by Duncan Mlanjira; Maravi Express
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