The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has called on Minister of Trade and Industry Vitumbiko Mumba to take decisive action to address the sugar crisis in Malawi, including convening an emergency indaba to tackle the perennial shortages and skyrocketing prices that have plagued the country.
CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa pointed out that sugar scarcity has become a perennial problem in Malawi, despite the dominant player, Illovo Sugar, registering colossal profits year after year.
CDEDI highlighted that neither cane farmers nor the government reap the benefits of the sugar industry, which has been in operation for over 60 years.
“Sugar here in Malawi and elsewhere is a cartel, which unless Malawians join hands, the country will continue to suffer, after giving up their land to sugarcane plantations and sweating for the same but sadly cannot access the locally manufactured product which is supposed to be Vitamin A fortified,” Namiwa tips Mumba.
The organization also expressed concern that the sugar bill, aimed at bringing sanity to the industry, has been gathering dust for 11 years. “This makes Illovo sugar a defacto Ministry of Sugar in Malawi.”
The organization also noted that Illovo Sugar obtained an injunction restraining the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) from effecting a 25 per cent price slash and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from commencing criminal proceedings against the company.
In light of these concerns, CDEDI has called for the emergency sugar indaba to provide answers to key questions, including the agreement between Illovo Sugar and current sugar distributors, total tonnage produced, and quota allocations to local distributors.
Minister Mumba has already taken steps to address the sugar crisis, including a surprise visit to Chipiku Plus in Lilongwe’s Game Complex, where he uncovered a case of sugar hoarding. He ordered the immediate display of sugar on shelves, with a limit of two packets per customer.
CDEDI’s letter emphasizes the need for continued action to address the sugar crisis and ensure that Malawians have access to affordable sugar.
