Former sugar factory

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former sugar factory of Dembeni, located on the island of Mayotte, is a former sugar cane farm founded in 1870 in Hajangoua. It is one of the oldest sugar factories in the island, with an initial estate of 470 hectares, 95 of which were dedicated to the cultivation of cane. The factory, equipped with three boilers, a steam engine, a Gimart battery and hydroextractors, represented an impressive industrial set for the time.

The operation ceased permanently in 1898 after a cyclone which seriously damaged the facilities, leading to the abandonment of the site by its owners. The decline, which was put on sale in 1902, had a significant economic impact on local producers. The remains, still visible today, also include traces of an older installation and the master's house nearby.

Ranked a historic monument in total by order of 11 May 2016, the factory is now owned by a public institution. Restoration works are planned in 2025 to preserve this industrial heritage, a symbol of Mayotte's agricultural and economic history. Protected elements include the plant, its appendices and its functional features, such as the three chimneys and machines still in place.

External links