Shortly after the outbreak of the health emergency, declared as part of the precautionary measures to besiege and contain the “Corona” pandemic, the “Cosumar” group took several proactive measures aimed at preserving the public health of employees and workers to avoid the spread of “Covid-19” infection. 19” in their ranks on the one hand, and ensuring the regular supply of the market by mobilizing the means of production and logistical services to ensure the normal course of its activity on the other hand.
The company “Cosumar” operates in the agricultural and industrial sectors in order to meet the needs of citizens of the basic sugar in daily life. Economic and social within the framework of an integrated production system, by improving the income of farmers, providing job opportunities for the labor force, and actively contributing to the creation of service companies.
The sugar sector is of great importance as an agricultural activity in the Doukkala-Abda region, given that the sugar factory of the “Cosumar” company in Sidi Bennour contributes about 40 percent of the national production, making it the largest production unit at the national level, which prompted The management of the group has taken many strict and strict precautionary measures to ensure the safety of the company's employees and partners, especially in light of the preparation for the sugar beet season, which is only a few days away from us.
Precautionary measures and citizenship initiatives
The “Cosumar” company has set up a program at a financial cost of about 5 million dirhams, in order to ensure the safety and health of the company’s employees and partners, and in preparation for the 2020 sugar beet harvesting season, by activating a set of precautionary and proactive measures to combat the “Covid-19” pandemic, in response to directives Local authorities and health standards approved by the Ministry of Health.
Accordingly, the group, within the framework of its social and community responsibility, contributed an amount of 100 million dirhams in order to support the fund for managing the emerging corona virus pandemic, while allocating other initiatives at the local level in Sidi Bennour, including the distribution of 1,500 baskets to needy families. and those affected by the quarantine, and providing medicines to the blood dialysis centers in Sidi Bennour and Zamamra, and equipping the regional hospital in Sidi Bennour with a sterilization gate for the benefit of the hospital’s medical and administrative staff.
The sugar factory in Sidi Bennour interacted with the current epidemiological developments, which was embodied in sensitizing good practices against the epidemic through audio-visual media, as well as awareness capsules and short messages for the benefit of users, farmers and service handlers, as well as truck drivers, tractors and agricultural machinery, in addition to reducing the number of Workers in the factory by 50 percent, by providing the opportunity for some users, according to their tasks and health status, to practice their work remotely.
climatic challenges and epidemiological risks
The processing capacity of the sugar factory in Sidi Bennour, affiliated to the “Cosumar” company, reaches 14,500 tons of sugar beets per day, while the production of sugar is 240,000 tons; That is, about 42 percent of the national production of this substance, based on the fact that the area available for sugar beet cultivation is 18 thousand hectares, where the factory created a group of service-giving companies distributed among 23 companies for the distribution of production materials and 120 companies for service providers related to mechanization, with an estimated turnover 50 million dirhams.
In this regard, Abd al-Rahim al-Hassani, director of the sugar factory at the “Cosumar” company located in Sidi Bennour, said, “The factory processes 15,000 tons of sugar beets per day, and contributes to 40 percent of the national production,” adding that “a few days Agricultural work amounts to two million working days per year, and the factory also contributes to the development of the region by creating 23 companies for the distribution of production materials, 120 mechanization companies, and many transport companies that operate 400 trucks to transport the sugar beet product to the factory.
Al-Hassani highlighted that “the current agricultural season is difficult due to the lack of rainfall. As it did not exceed 156 millimeters, which makes it 73 percent of the amount of precipitation recorded in the past season (211 millimeters), in addition to the weak water reserve in the Al-Masirah Dam, as the dam filling rate reached 17 percent compared to 26 percent during the past year, but Despite the difficult circumstances, we were able, with the concerted efforts of all those involved in the sector, to reach an area of 18,000 hectares, which is no different from the area of the previous season, which was about 19,000 hectares.”
Digitalization is a mechanism to confront the epidemic
The sugar factory in Sidi Bennour is fully packed in order to avoid the spread of the new Corona virus. The gates of the sterilization mechanism, and then the provision of basins for washing hands equipped with soap dispensers and sterilizing materials in many places in the laboratory, in addition to allocating a doctor and an ambulance to ensure rapid intervention when necessary.
Al-Hasani, the director of the plant, explained, in a statement he made to the electronic newspaper Hespress, that “the self-management system adopted by Cosumar in 2018 will contribute to confronting the epidemic to a large extent, as the use of digitization in all stages, starting from implantation to extraction, passing through the delivery of The products to the factory, leading to the extraction of beetroot dues for the benefit of the farmers, will make it possible to ensure physical distancing between all actors in the sector.”
The same official stressed that “the group has taken many precautionary measures regarding the agricultural season of sugar beet, including notification of harvesting by SMS, directing transport mechanisms by calling the control room, and assigning machinery for harvesting and shipping to agricultural plots by sending messages.” short cuts to agricultural business providers, automatic coding in agricultural plots, monitoring the movement of trucks and machines using GPS technology, and paying crop dues to farmers by bank transfer.”
Mechanical extraction of sugar beet
After declaring a state of health emergency, the sugar factory in Sidi Bennour took a set of measures, including the daily distribution of protective masks to all employees (one mask per person every four hours), daily sterilization of buildings, offices and workplaces, and the installation of hand sanitizer dispensers at all points of operation. In addition to designating work areas according to services, preventing the movement of employees between these areas, and prohibiting meetings between employees, where information is exchanged by phone or videoconferencing technology, in addition to delivering meals individually to avoid contact between employees, and respecting the safety distance.
During the sugar beet extraction season, the plant will take several measures, according to its director, including reducing the transport fleet to 400 vehicles, preparing a list of people participating in the extraction process and reporting it to the authorities, then distributing sterile water and alcohol solutions to truck, tractor and machine drivers. agricultural, and regular sterilization of the transport fleet at each entry to the beetroot reception center.
Drivers of trucks, tractors and machinery will also be prohibited from taking other people with them, drivers will pass at the factory entrance with an automatic sterilization tunnel, and the reception center will be equipped with alcohol gel dispensers, pedal washbasins with liquid soap dispensers and hand dryers for sterilization. In addition, the laboratory has taken other measures at the level of agricultural plots aimed at generalizing mechanical extraction, by prohibiting gathering between truck drivers, agricultural service providers and farmers, through periodic and permanent monitoring carried out by agricultural extension agents.
Sterilization mechanisms and sensitization connections
Concerning the preventive measures when receiving sugar beet, at the level of the waiting line outside the factory, all trucks and tractors are sterilized, and three workers will be assigned protective suits, masks and glasses, and they will be equipped with automatic sprayers for this process, and audio awareness will also be provided all the time to make drivers aware of respecting a meter distance between trucks and tractors, allowing complete sterilization of the fleet (front, rear and side of vehicles).
Before a truck or tractor enters the reception centre, drivers must wash their hands in designated sinks outside, which are equipped with hand dryers and soap dispensers, as well as pedal taps to avoid the risk of infection. At the entry door, the vehicles will pass through a waterway containing the “Javel” substance to disinfect the wheels, while a specialist in charge will explain, using a loudspeaker, the procedure to be followed inside the reception center at the entry door of the truck.
Inside the reception center, the driver will pass through an automated sterilization tunnel, accompanied by disinfection of shoe soles in a basin containing an antiseptic solution, then washing hands with soap and water in basins installed near the sterilization tunnel, while anyone other than drivers and staff will be denied entry to the reception center Except in justified cases, which in turn will be supervised, and the installation of a barrier in front of the routing access distribution cabin to ensure a distance of one meter between the person assigned to the task and the carrier.
Coordinating officials and keeping pace with farmers
Kabil Abdel Jabbar, a farmer in the Sidi Bennour region, told Hespress that “the farmers of the Sidi Bennour and Doukkala-Abda regions are ready for the sugar beet extraction process, while taking all precautions in the framework of the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic, as we use a mask in the peasant spot, In addition to disinfectants and washing hands with soap and water every quarter of an hour, we will employ mechanisms to extract beets instead of the workforce, which amounts to 31 people in total.
For his part, Abderrahmane Nayli, Regional Director of Agriculture in Casablanca-Settat, indicated that “within the framework of the communication strategy pursued by the Regional Directorate of Agriculture and the Regional Office for Agricultural Investment, we try as much as possible to follow up the programs that were in place, especially supplying the market with products Farming, including vegetables, fruits, meat and fish, as well as the continuation of service, which prompted us to work remotely.
The same official, in a statement to Hespress, said, “The biggest points in which we work are distributing barley, preparing the season for harvesting sugar beets, and daily follow-up to supply the markets in the region,” noting that “the Cosumar group has taken many measures regarding the beetroot process, including sterilization of the factory.” And the machines placed at its entrance, and others,” he concluded, “The process will be by means of the machines in which we have invested heavily, as a result of the availability of more than 60 companies equipped with agricultural machines, which will ensure the follow-up of the usual daily program.”