The Sugarcane Growers Association of Malawi (SGAM) has urged Members of Parliament to deliberate on and approve the Sugar Industry Bill to effectively address several challenges faced by growers, according to malawi24.
Henry Chimunthu Banda, a representative of the growers, informed journalists on Wednesday that the bill is expected to bring about order, remedies, and solutions to the various issues that have arisen due to the current lack of such legislation.
Chimunthu, a former legislator, said that growers from Chikwawa, Salima, and Nkhotakota visited Parliament to request the committee to inquire about the delays in the bill from the Ministry of Agriculture.
He pointed out that back in June 2022; senior government officials from the Ministry of Agriculture had engaged with the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and indicated that the bill had been transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Justice. However, as of now, the bill has not yet been released.
“The information regarding the status of the bill became public through the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture,” he stated.
Sammer Suleman, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, shared that during their last interaction with the Ministry of Agriculture on this matter, the ministry assured them that the bill would be made public soon. Nevertheless, the bill remains stuck at the ministry up to this day.
He further mentioned that the committee’s actions are limited since they are waiting for the ministry to present the bill.
“We appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture to expedite the release of the sugar bill. In neighboring countries like Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Kenya, sugar is regulated. Given that sugar is our third-largest foreign exchange earner, we should oversee the entire sugar processing process, from cultivation to sale. This is why we are urging the ministry to introduce the sugar bill,” he elaborated.
He went on to say that they have granted the ministry a few days to meet with them and provide an update on the bill, as well as on the Tobacco Bill, which is under consideration by the committee.
