Cane supply comprises between 1 150 000 and 1 250 000 tons in a “normal” climatic conditions in a 36 week milling season, of which 65% is produced on the Umfolozi flats and delivered on the narrow gauge railway. Between 4% and 10% is delivered by Small Scale Growers, who comprise numerous plots of approximately 1.5 hectares, some of which is delivered on the narrow gauge railway and the balance on the road. The mill has a tippler system for the offloading of the narrow gauge railway trams and a spiller system for road deliveries. Cane is prepared by using two cane knives, and a shredder and extraction carried out with a DeSmet diffuser followed by two de-watering mills. Three boilers generate steam totalling 220 tons steam per hour and electricity produced from two turbo-alternators totalling 16 MW of installed capacity. Under “normal” conditions, USM produces between 128 000 and 138 000 tons of sugar per annum.