Kapito trashes Illovo sugar scarcity reasons as flimsy and rubbish

Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) Executive Director, John Kapito, has described Illovo Sugar’s assertions on the scarcity of sugar on the market as flimsy.

He said the reasons given are a joke and an insult to consumers.

At a presser held in Blantyre on Friday, Managing Director for Illovo Sugar, Lekani Katandula, said Cyclone Freddy that hit the country last year has had an impact on the firm’s sugar output, resulting in the scarcity.

Katandula said, unlike last year from September to February, when the company produced 119,000 tonnes of sugar, this year they have only managed to produce 77,000 tonnes of the commodity.

But Kapito said sugar scarcity is not a new problem as Malawians have experienced it before and, as such, the sugar company could have found ways of solving the problem.

“I don’t find their reasons valuable but an insult to consumers.

“Cyclone Freddy is a year old and for them to still attribute it to the recent scarcity of the commodity is a sign of arrogance on their part.

“They are ashamed to admit their failure,” said Kapito.

A visit to some shops in the country was  met by empty shelves of sugar whilst at at some shops, consumers were scrambling for the few packets left on the shelf, with many clearly expressing their frustrations regarding the problem.

Minister of Trade Sosten Gwengwe assured Malawians that his ministry had engaged Illovo Sugar Malawi to iron out issues behind the sugar crisis in the country.