More govt efforts needed in sugar sector: Cane Growers Association
The SA Sugarcane Growers Association says government needs to take immediate action to save the industry.
The association says President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke at length on the importance of agriculture during his State of the Nation Address last week - but said nothing on the state of the sugar sector.
Sugarcane farming is a massive industry here in KwaZulu-Natal.
The association's Graeme Steinbank says years of drought have impacted production, while cheap imports and the new sugar tax pose additional problems.
Steinbank says if action is not taken, the 14-billion-rand sugar industry is at risk of collapsing while some 350 000 jobs - most of which are in rural areas could be shed.
"We need government to intervene immediately and stop the dumping of subsidised cheap sugar into our markets. With our colleagues in Africa, we need to devise a strategy - which moves sugar from surplus producers and not from surplus to surplus as it is happening currently," Steinbank said.
ALSO READ: FULL SPEECH: State of the Nation Address 2019
Steinbank says one way in which government could assist the industry is by investing in industry-led innovations to find alternative markets for sugar - such as ethanol production and cane-based packaging.
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