As Ugandans begin the Christmas season shopping, the average price for a kilogram of sugar in Uganda currently stands at Shs4, 500 and is expected to go down further as the year comes to a close, Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde has said.
“Sugar prices have steadily reduced from average UGX 8,500 in May 2017, to currently UGX 4,500 with expectations to reduce even further,” Minister Kyambadde says, adding that local sugar millers have sufficient stock of sugar to meet the current domestic demand.
Further, the minister says government will not enforce the reduction of sugar price per kilo and will also not reduce taxes on imported sugar, as reported in the local media earlier.
She also says Government cannot import duty free sugar since the country has enough stocks.
“My Ministry will continue to monitor the sugar situation to ensure adequate supply and affordable prices for the citizenry,” she says.
As of May 2017 Uganda was the largest producer of granular brown sugar in the East African Community, accounting for about 500,000 metric tonnes annually.
But the country’s big sugar millers lack of enough cane due to competition from small factories that have encroached on sugar cane supplied by out growers.
Uganda’s big sugar manufacturers include Kakira Sugar Works, Kinyara Sugar Works and the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL).
