Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, has urged the citizens to help in implementing the sugar master plan that will help in supporting the local sugar industry.
Speaking at his State of Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday evening, he said, “During the lockdown, the sugar master plan was signed according to which the large sugar users agreed to procure 80% of their sugar needs from local sugar producers. Through the implementation of the plan, last year saw a rise in local production and a decline in imported sugar, creating stability for an industry which employs some 85 000 workers.”
The SA Cane Growers’ Association has demanded that the government continue with the sugar master plan. The association had released a statement stating that cheap sugar imports and Health Promotion Levy are threats to the sugar sector.
