ANTANANARIVO, Oct. 9 -- A Chinese sugar plant in Madagascar has participated to the country's development, the Malagasy minister of Agriculture Rolland Ravatomanga said.

"I congratulate the China State Development and Investment Corporation (SDIC) COMPLANT Group for your commitment in supporting Madagascar's development," the minister of Agriculture Rolland Ravatomanga told Zhou Jianping, General Administrator of the Chines sugar plant SUCOMA.

"SUCOMA is involved in urban development, improved its exploitation by dredging channels, which serve not only sugar but also for crop farmers who cultivate rice and other crops," the minister added.

For his part, the general administrator of SUCOMA said "China has a lot of things to share with Madagascar especially in the agricultural sector."

"We are here to be an example and to show to other Chinese that if they do well and cooperate well with the Malagasy people, we can bring success here," Zhou Jianping told the minister.

Zhou Jianping said sugar industry in Madagascar is formed by five sugar companies, but only 3 are operational, namely Namakia, Ambilobe and Morondava, which are in lease management by the Chinese company SUCOMA since its arrival in 1997.

Zhou Jianping said his company has created 10,000 direct jobs throughout Madagascar, including 90 Chinese citizens.

He said the company produced about 54,000 tons of sugar in 2009 and 98,000 tons in 2013 and is planning to produce over 106,000 tons of sugar in 2014.

Data from the Malagasy Center of Cane and Sugar (CMCS) showed sugar consumption in Madagascar went from about 150,000 tons in 2009 to over 167,000 tons in 2013.

The total of sugar available in Madagascar --local production plus import-- was around 181,000 in 2009 and it rose to more than 210,000 in 2013.