Cape Town: The Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel had put forward a plan to revive South Africa’s sugar sector ensuring long-term profitability and sustainability. The SA Cane Growers’ Association has given green signal to the plan expecting that this would help the sector to recover from recent losses.
The plan is expected to protect thousands of jobs, rural livelihood and businesses in South Africa.
According to the media report, the sugar masterplan aims to diversify the value chain based on sugarcane away from one that is today almost solely focused on the production of raw and refined sugar, into one that in future produces a wider range of globally competitive sugar cane-based products.
The sector has faced severe challenges including a drop in sales due to hike in sugar tax, falling prices and sugar import from other countries at a cheap rate.
Patel said the government and key industry stakeholders, including local food and beverage producers, have agreed to prioritise local sugar players.
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