SA Canegrowers warns against job losses caused by sugar imports
SA Canegrowers is pleased to announce the re-election of Higgins Mdluli as the chairman of the organisation, following its Annual General Meeting and board meeting held this week in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal.
SA Canegrowers is pleased to announce the re-election of Higgins Mdluli as the chairman of the organisation, following its Annual General Meeting and board meeting held this week in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal.
As a sugarcane grower in Mpumalanga, Mdluli brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advancing the interests of the 24,000 small-scale and 1,200 large-scale growers represented by SA Canegrowers.
Mdluli said: 'It is an honour to be re-elected to serve as chair of the SA Canegrowers board at such a critical time for our industry. I look forward to continuing to work closely with our growers, partners, and stakeholders to build a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient sugar sector that supports rural livelihoods and drives agricultural and economic growth in South Africa.'
But Mdluli also cautioned that the industry faces many challenges, not least of which is the increasing risk local growers face from unfair global trade practices. Foreign sugar is currently entering South Africa at prices below the cost of production and below the global sugar price, owing to some foreign governments either heavily subsidising their industries or countries dumping their excess sugar at a loss.
For every ton of imported sugar, local sugarcane growers lose R6 000 in income, and jobs are imperilled.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
SA Canegrowers warns against job losses caused by sugar imports
SA Canegrowers is pleased to announce the re-election of Higgins Mdluli as the chairman of the organisation, following its Annual General Meeting and board meeting held this week in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal. SA Canegrowers is pleased to announce the re-election of Higgins Mdluli as the chairman of the organisation, following its Annual General Meeting and board meeting held this week in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal. As a sugarcane grower in Mpumalanga, Mdluli brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advancing the interests of the 24,000 small-scale and 1,200 large-scale growers represented by SA Canegrowers. Mdluli said: 'It is an honour to be re-elected to serve as chair of the SA Canegrowers board at such a critical time for our industry. I look forward to continuing to work closely with our growers, partners, and stakeholders to build a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient sugar sector that supports rural livelihoods and drives agricultural and economic growth in South Africa.' But Mdluli also cautioned that the industry faces many challenges, not least of which is the increasing risk local growers face from unfair global trade practices. Foreign sugar is currently entering South Africa at prices below the cost of production and below the global sugar price, owing to some foreign governments either heavily subsidising their industries or countries dumping their excess sugar at a loss. For every ton of imported sugar, local sugarcane growers lose R6 000 in income, and jobs are imperilled.
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- The Citizen
VIDEO: Pro-Palestine protests outside Glencore's offices
Coordinated actions erupted around the world, including South Africa On the 28 May 2025 Glencore, the world's largest mining conglomerate, hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Switzerland. Coordinated actions erupted around the world including South Africa, Colombia, Peru, Germany, and Switzerland, organised by the global Resist Glencore Network and the Global Energy Embargo Campaign. In South Africa, the South African BDS Coalition Energy Embargo Campaign, made up of Palestine solidarity groups, environmental justice organisations, trade unions, mining affected communities and many other activists protested at the Glencore headquarters in Johannesburg and other areas across the country. ALSO READ: PICTURES: Colourful Hillbrow parade entertains Joburg residents
The Star
21-05-2025
- The Star
BUDGET: SA Canegrowers welcomes no increase in sugar tax
SA Canegrowers on Wendesday said that it welcomes the decision by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana not to enact any further increases in the Health Promotion Levy (or sugar tax) in his Budget 3.0. "Introduced in 2018, the sugar tax cost 16 000 jobs and R2 billion in revenue in the first year of implementation alone, according to independent research by Nedlac. Any increase would risk the livelihoods of growers and increase unemployment in many parts KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga, where there are few other job opportunities," SA Canegrowers said. " The sugar tax has been nothing but destructive for South Africa. While the Nedlac study demonstrated concrete proof of job losses, no evidence has been provided to show the tax has reduced obesity or improved the health of South Africans in any way," it further stated. The association said it believes that Treasury should scrap the tax, to help ensure that government drives job creation and economic growth, as per its commitments outlined in the Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan 2030. "This social compact between industry and government to revitalise the industry also has the potential to create new markets for sugarcane growers and kickstart new industrialisation projects in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal," Canegrowers said in a statement. "Agricultural jobs are critically important to the stability of South Africa and to making sure that we reduce rural poverty and hunger. SA Canegrowers will continue to strive for an end to this job-killing tax, calling on the government to prioritise desperately needed economic growth and jobs instead," it further said.
