Trade committee to investigate high sugar prices

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has directed the Committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry to examine the high costs of sugar in the country.

This followed a matter of national importance raised by Fred Ssimbwa, the Nakifuma county Member of Parliament on the rising sugar prices and the falling prices of sugar cane during plenary on Wednesday, 02 November 2022.

Ssimbwa said that over the last four months, the price of sugar has escalated from Shs150,000 for a 50Kg bag in May to Shs165,000 for the same in June 2022.

He said that the price of sugar has short up four times in September and October from Shs185,000 to Shs195,000 in only nine days. He said that in less than a week, this price again went up from Shs215,000 to Shs217,000.

He said the farm gate price of sugar cane has continued to fall despite the high price of sugar in his constituency in Nakifuma.

“Some places like Kikuubo, a bag of sugar is between Shs230,000 to Shs240,000 a bag [of 50kg]. I seek an explanation from the Ministry of Trade on the current sugar situation,” he said.

The State Minister for Trade Harriet Ntabazi said that the issue of rising prices was a serious matter considering that there was surplus production of sugar following the establishment of new factories in the past two years.

Speaker Anita Among directed the minister to present what Government will do to stabilize the prices of sugar.

She also asked the Committee of Trade and Tourism to scrutinize the matter and report back to the House.

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SOURCE: UGANDA PARLIAMENT MEDIA