A shortage of domestically-produced sugar in Tanzania and Rwanda has presented a huge demand for Ugandan and Kenyan sugar producers – with Uganda, especially, showing a large surplus for export.
The East African Community (EAC) council of ministers’ decision to permit Tanzania and Rwanda to import 100 000 tonnes and 70 000t respectively.
The idea of keeping this demand local is encouraged by cuts in import duty levels to the two buyer states. According to the notice, Tanzania sugar imports within the region will attract a duty rate of 50% instead of 100% while Rwanda was cleared to import at 25% for a period of one year.
According to the Uganda Sugar Millers Association, the six established Uganda sugar manufacturers have a capacity to produce 373 000t of sugar, of which 70 000t is consumed locally and the rest is exported to South Sudan, Rwanda and Tanzania.
Source: Daily Monitor
Sugar-short East African countries open big demand
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