Africa-Press – Malawi. By Patience Lunda:
BOTHA–The idea is to ensure that supply stabilisesThe Ministry of Trade has given 20 traders licences to import sugar at a time when the country is facing the problem of scarcity of the commodity.
The traders have been granted licences to import sugar from Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Brazil and South Africa.
Ministry spokesperson Patrick Botha told The Daily Times that the move would culminate in the stabilisation of sugar supply and prices in Malawi.
Botha disclosed that they would continue closing shops that are hoarding and over-pricing the commodity in the country.
“We are hopeful that the [problem of] sugar scarcity will be taken care of. You might have seen that there is sugar from other countries on the market; the whole idea is to ensure that supply stabilises,” Botha said.
This far, the Ministry of Trade has shut down seven shops in Lilongwe and Blantyre for allegedly hoarding sugar and, in some cases, selling it above the recommended price.
KAPITO—That way prices will go downMeanwhile, Consumers Association of Malawi Executive Director John Kapito has commended the government for granting firms the licences.
“We wish many traders were given such licences as the move can go a long way in reducing sugar prices on the market.
“High sugar prices are a result of sugar scarcity and this challenge can only be addressed if more traders are given licences to import sugar. That way, prices will go down,” he said.
Spot-checks that The Daily Times conducted in some parts of the country revealed that Zambian sugar is being sold at between K2,800 and K3,000 per kilogram.
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