BY: SIKHONA SIBANDZE
MBABANE – The Eswatini Cane Growers Association (ECGA) has concluded its Planters Group Feedback Meetings, with growers from Mhlume, Simunye and Big Bend raising some of the sugarcane industry’s most pressing challenges, including rising electricity costs, tax compliance difficulties, labour shortages, work permits and the looming threat of El Niño.
Held from 11 to 13 August 2026, the meetings gave growers an opportunity to speak directly about the realities affecting their farming businesses while engaging ECGA and key industry stakeholders on possible responses.
Across the three Planters Groups, growers emphasised that the cost and complexity of producing sugarcane continue to increase, making it important for their concerns to remain central to industry discussions and decision-making.
Electricity tariffs emerged as one of the strongest concerns. Sugarcane production depends heavily on irrigation, and rising electricity prices are increasing the cost of pumping water to fields. This concern becomes even more significant under possible El Niño conditions, when reduced rainfall and higher temperatures could increase dependence on irrigation.
Growers also raised concerns about tax compliance, stressing that the challenge is not only the amount of tax payable, but also the complexity and inconsistency of the compliance process. Growers reported instances where the TaxEasy system may indicate that a taxpayer is compliant on one day, only for outstanding obligations to appear later. They also expressed frustration about fragmentation within the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS), where information and guidance may differ between departments, sometimes resulting in growers being referred through several officials before receiving assistance.
Labour availability and work permits were another major concern. Growers said attracting enough Emaswati for labour-intensive activities, particularly cane cutting during harvesting, remains difficult.
Mhlume sugarcane grower, Gina Dlamini said labour shortages become especially serious during harvesting, when growers have limited time to cut and deliver their cane.
Business Eswatini participated in the meetings and engaged growers on documentation requirements for foreign nationals, while growers highlighted how delays in securing the necessary permits can disrupt farm operations.
ECGA will continue engaging relevant stakeholders on these concerns to ensure that growers’ operational realities and interests are represented.
The meetings also focused on preparedness for possible El Niño conditions. Eswatini Sugar encouraged growers to prepare early, manage available water carefully, drawing lessons from the 2015/16 drought, when reduced rainfall and declining water levels significantly affected agricultural production.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO ECGA’S 60TH AGM
With the Planters Group Feedback Meetings concluded, attention now turns to ECGA’s 60th Annual General Meeting, to be held on Wednesday, 26 August 2026 at Mhlume Country Club. Registration will begin at 9:00am, with proceedings starting promptly at 10:00am.
Admission will be restricted to nominated representatives of member Quota Holders who have invitation cards. Grower companies and cooperatives are required to send one representative, while proxy forms must be signed and submitted to the ECGA Office a day before the AGM.
Transport has also been arranged for Simunye (Malkerns) and Big Bend growers, with buses departing designated pick-up points at 7:00am.
Coming shortly after the feedback meetings, the AGM will provide an important platform to carry forward the issues raised by growers and strengthen the collective voice of cane growers in shaping the future of the industry.
