Zimbabwe is poised for a significant boost in sugar output this year, with more than 3.7 million tonnes of sugarcane expected to be processed in the Lowveld and production projected to rise to 450 000 tonnes.
Harvesting is now in full swing, transforming the once lush green sugarcane fields into stretches of burnt cane and cleared land as farmers move swiftly to deliver their crop to the Hippo Valley and Triangle mills.
The newly introduced Cane Logistics and Orchestration Platform (CLOP), also known as the Cane Planning System, is expected to resolve long-standing logistical bottlenecks in the sugar industry.
Head of Corporate and Industry Affairs at Tongaat Hulett, Dahlia Garwe, said the digital platform links harvesting schedules directly to milling capacity.
“This year, we introduced a digital electronic cane delivery system, which we believe will largely resolve challenges faced in the past. The Cane Logistics and Orchestration Platform is a digital scheduling and site control platform that coordinates cane harvesting and delivery timing with real mill capacity.
“It determines who delivers, when they deliver, and how deliveries are validated at the gate, ensuring that cane arrives when it can be processed,” she said.
Farmers and transport operators have welcomed the rollout of a new digital cane delivery system, saying it has improved efficiency, eliminated disorder, and reduced losses during the busy harvesting window.
One farmer noted that the new technology had ended previous congestion and poor coordination.
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“Technology has indeed helped us because we are no longer harvesting at the same time like before. The system tells us when to harvest and deliver cane. We are now guaranteed zero losses, unlike before when there was chaos,” explained the farmer.
Transport drivers also praised the platform for reducing delays that previously saw trucks stuck in queues for days.
“As drivers, it used to be difficult because at times we would wait for days to deliver a cane, but with this system we are no longer waiting for long.
“You can now deliver as many loads as possible per day because we no longer spend days in queues like in previous seasons,” one driver noted.
At both Hippo Valley and Triangle mills, crushing is now running 24 hours a day as the 2026 sugarcane milling season intensifies.
The anticipated rise in output is set to strengthen Zimbabwe’s sugar industry, boost export earnings, support industrial growth, and create jobs across the Lowveld.
