Angolan company Biocom announced that it would produce 256 000 tonnes of sugar by 2020 - which would provide 50% of the consumption needs of the Angolan population.
Biocom, owned by Brazilian company Odebrecht and Angola’s Cochan and Sonangol, which produces sugar, ethanol and electricity from sugarcane, has a production area of over 80 000 hectares.
The 2016 harvest is expected to reach more than 530 000 tonnes of sugarcane, and Biocom this year expects to produce 47 000t of sugar, almost double the amount of the first harvest, 16 000 cubic metres of ethanol, and 155 megawatts of power, according to state newspaper Jornal de Angola.
For 2020/2021, when it is due to reach the maximum production capacity of the first phase, the project is expected to produce in excess of 256 000 tonnes of sugar, 235 000 megawatts of electricity and 33 000 cubic metres of ethanol.
With an investment of the equivalent of R10.8 billion, Biocom is the largest private investor in Angola, outside of the oil sector.
