Gms: Khartoum, Aug. 29 (SUNA)

The Minister of Industry, Engineer Abdul Wahab Mohamed Osman has discussed establishment of a factory for sugar industry in South Darfur in the area of Wadi Kaya ( Kaya Valley) to produce 20,000 tons of sugar per year in an area of 6,000 acres at a cost of $ 30 million.
This came in a meeting at the premises of the ministry with the delegation of the Committee of Energy, Mining and Industry at the National Assembly and a delegation of the South Darfur State headed by the Minister of Agriculture at the state and membership of other officials in the state.
The minister said that the sugar industry is strategic and locomotive for the electricity, fodder, meat and ethanol and Molasses industries, stressing that his ministry encourages investment in the sugar industry in the states of Darfur in order to support the national economy and to achieve added value and to promote civil stability in the region.
engineer Abdul Wahab added that it was a good start to be launched in South Darfur state, pointing out to the need for coordination between his ministry and the government of South Darfur, stressing the adoption of the Ministry of Industry to the financing of the project in order to encourage the private sector. He emphasized to employ national expertise in sugar companies, factories and research centers to develop the sugar industry in the states.
The Minister of Industry called for the necessity to accelerate the economic and social feasibility study for the project, pointing out that the irrigation system in the project is not based on the state’s share in the Nile waters, calling for a joint venture between the state, the private sector and farmers, welcoming the local and foreign partners in the sugar industry in the country.

For his part, the Chairman of the Committee of the Energy, Mining and Industry at the National Assembly Dr. Omar Adam Rahma praised the quickly response of the ministry to address the issues of the industry in the states, stating that the Ministry of Industry is expected to exert much efforts to overcome and resolve the problems of Industry in the Centre and the states.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture in South Darfur State, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Dekheiri announced welcoming of the farmers to the project, pointing out to the introduction of preliminary studies in this regard through the Indian houses of experience, stressing that establishment of the project would be a motive for stability and resettlement.
The minister said that establishment of electricity industry would encourage spread of a number of other industries demanding, calling for political, financial and technical support, affirming availability of raw materials for establishment of a number of industries, including cement, adding that Darfur is characterized by neighborhood of several countries a matter giving it advantages in marketing for a number countries.