Located at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, TPC Limited, a sugar manufacturing plant, has surpassed 100,000 tonnes of annual sugar production for the first time in its nearly 90-year history. The Moshi-based company credits the increase in production to the adoption of a new sugarcane harvesting system, which raised output from a previous average of 90,000 tonnes per year.
TPC's Chief Executive Officer (Administration), Mr. Jaffary Ally, shared that the company harvested 1,150,000 tonnes of sugarcane, resulting in the production of 116,500 tonnes of sugar in the nine months up to March, setting a new record since its establishment in 1936. Mr. Ally attributed the exceptional production levels to the recently introduced sugar harvesting equipment, which can harvest over 200 tonnes of sugarcane daily. Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner, Mr. Nurdin Babu, visited TPC and commended the company during a briefing.
Mr. Babu acknowledged the increased production benefits, such as higher tax revenues for the government. Last year, TPC contributed approximately 90 billion Tanzanian Shillings in various taxes. Moreover, the Regional Commissioner pointed out that the increased production would maintain sugar supplies during the annual rainy season when sugar factories typically close for maintenance.
Over the years, TPC Ltd has heavily invested in rehabilitating and upgrading fields, infrastructure, and equipment. This has resulted in sugar production growing from an annual 30,000 tonnes to the current 100,000 tonnes. Simultaneously, the company gained significant experience and improved efficiency in various aspects, including cane varieties, fertilization, irrigation, transportation, and sugar recovery.
Despite its operations maturing and yielding positive results, TPC Ltd plans to further expand sugar production by cultivating more land, introducing new cane varieties, employing more efficient irrigation and fertilization methods, and enhancing factory recoveries. Future development projects may involve establishing a distillery to increase the value derived from molasses and extending electricity production year-round by burning non-cane biomass during the intercrop.
TPC Ltd employs 1,900 permanent staff and an additional 1,000 seasonal workers while providing 800 jobs through outsourced services. The company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) program focuses on promoting community-based initiatives that boost revenue, targeting areas such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.