DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania is set to import over 300,000 tonnes of sugar this year as the East African state takes decisive measures to tackle the existing deficit of the sweetener, according to Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Hussein Bashe.
Speaking at a briefing for editors on the availability of the commodity and the government’s actions at the State House in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, Mr. Bashe revealed that at that moment, a ship was unloading more than 25,000 tonnes of sugar at the Port of Dar es Salaam.
Mr. Bashe further explained that, through the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), the government plans to import more than 300,000 tonnes of sugar this year to address the crisis.
“We will continue importing sugar through NFRA. The sugar currently being unloaded, as I speak, has been brought by a company that has entered into an agreement with NFRA, not an industry, because this is a matter of food safety,” he stated.
He reiterated that the problem stems from El Niño rains, which were predicted beforehand by the country’s Meteorological Authority, TMA.
Mr. Bashe expressed optimism that sugar availability will stabilize before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
He also blamed retailers for twice hiking the price of sugar, noting that authorities have launched an operation to apprehend those who do not sell the commodity at the stipulated price cap.
