Mozambique’s sugar exports saw a increase in 2024, bringing in $36 million. This marks a 50% jump compared to the previous year, signaling a strong recovery in the country’s sugar production after being hit by severe cyclones, reports Club of Mozambique.
Figures from the central bank show that in 2023, sugar exports totaled $24 million, making last year’s $36 million a substantial improvement. This positive shift is credited to “the recovery of production after the bad weather effects that happened in 2023,” according to the bank’s latest report on money coming in and out of the country.
Mozambique is known to be one of the countries most affected by changes in weather patterns, regularly experiencing floods and powerful tropical storms during its rainy season, which runs from October to April. The rainy season in 2018-2019 was particularly devastating, leading to 714 deaths, with 648 of those caused by Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, two of the strongest storms ever to hit the nation.
The central part of the country, especially Sofala province, has been among the most severely impacted by these storms. Previous reports indicated that sugar production at the Mafambisse Sugar Mill, a key facility in Sofala, had been falling due to the combined challenges of bad weather and a changing climate. This included the loss of about 8,000 hectares of sugarcane fields in the Nhamatanda area because of these weather effects.
Despite these difficulties, the Mafambisse Sugar Mill, located in Dondo district, has the capacity to produce 92,000 tonnes of sugar each year.
Looking ahead, Tongaat Hulett, a South African company that owns most of the Mafambisse and Xinavane sugar mills in Mozambique, recently announced a major investment of ZAR500 million (about €25 million) into these facilities. This financial boost is expected to further support the restart and growth of sugar production in the country.
