Italian firm says it reached deal to build sugar refinery with Sudan’s Kenana

April 15, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s major Sugar-sector company, Kenana, has agreed a plan with Italy’s leading Sugar-producer, Eridania Sadam, to build a joint sugar refinery whose output will be sold in Europe and Africa.

According to a statement released by Eridania, the $129.6 million evenly-split venture will be setup near Port Sudan, the country’s sea outlet in the east, and is expected to start up in the first quarter of 2014.

Eridania said the refinery will have an initial capacity to process 500,000 tonnes of cane sugar produced in Sudan on the fields of about 50,000 hectares.

The Italian company said it plans to sell 50 percent of the refined sugar in Italy and Europe whereas the rest will be earmarked for Africa.

Sudan’s Kenana Sugar Company says it is the world’s largest single integrated producer of white sugar with a current production rate of 400,000 tonnes a year.

The Kenana sugar cane plantation and production plant is located 250 km (160 miles) south of Khartoum and 1,200 km (750 miles) from Port Sudan.

The company’s shareholders are: the government of Sudan with 35.17 percent, the government of Kuwait with 30.5 percent, Saudi Arabia with 10.92 percent, the Arab Investment Company with 6.96 percent, the state-owned Sudan Development Corporation with 5.66 percent, the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development with 5.56 percent, Sudanese banking groups with 4.45 percent, Lonrho with 0.46 percent, the Japanese Nissho Iwai corporation with 0.16 percent and Gulf Fisheries Company with 0.16 percent

(ST)