Identification of technical factors that influence sugar productivity of factories in Sudan

This study was conducted to identify the factors influencing the productivity of the sugar industry in Sudan. The study involved collecting data from selected sugar mill databases, namely, the Kenana, Guneid, Halfa, Sinnar, Assalaya and White-Nile sugar mills. The data were analyzed by using the regression analysis technique, and the intensity relation matrix analysis technique was used to determine the most influential factors contributing to the problem of declining productivity. The results showed that the main factor was the decline in sugarcane yield. This was attributed to the lack of agricultural input and improper land preparation. The yield was influenced by the soil salinity and the cultivation of only one sugarcane variety (i.e. CO 6806) over the past thirty years. The mills have depreciated because of the worn-out equipment and the failure to carry out proper maintenance, which has contributed to decreased efficiency of between 75% and 80% for five sugar mills. The sugar industry in Sudan requires a well-structured plan that will optimize the application of agricultural inputs, to increase sugarcane productivity. This study provides a framework for the decision-makers in the industry, which aims to retrieve the productivity of sugarcane and sugar by adopting new technologies in the country.