sugar shortages

Life without sugar

BY ITAI DZAMARA
HARARE - Zimbabweans might soon have to adjust to life without sugar as the country's sugar manufacturer, Zimbabwe Sugar Refineries (ZSR) has drastically scaled down production and is said to be nearing closure.
ZSR has not made supplies to the local market for the past few weeks and sugar was conspicuous by its absence from the shelves of supermarkets in major cities and towns.
Supplies were available on the black market for Z$6000 per 2kg pack, compared to between $1 500 and $2000 that it has been selling when available in supermarkets.
Sources in management at ZSR raised fears of an outright closure. "We have seriously scaled down operations. In fact there have not been deliveries for quite sometime now, save for trickle supplies here and there," a senior manager said. "It is possible we might have to close because the situation increasingly becomes untenable. The main problem is the balancing of huge production costs with government controlled prices."
A visit to ZSR headquarters in Harare last week showed a general lack of production at the plant whilst most of the workers were reportedly forced to take leave. A worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "Very few of us are here as you can see. There is very little production. Isn't it they told you when you inquired that there is no sugar. We hear they are considering total closure."
Over 2000 workers employed by ZSR countrywide face a bleak future as they could soon join the swelling ranks of the unemployed.
Officials at ZSR ducked questions from The Zimbabwean citing their fear of reprisals amidst reports that some senior government officials had visited them threatening arrest if they increased prices of sugar or closed down operations.
Meanwhile Industry and International Trade minister Obert Mpofu said the shortage was an arm-twisting tactic by producers to force the
government to raise the price of sugar. He said hoarding was compounding the problem.