Regulator issues 40 new licenses to sugar importers

KISUMU, KENYA: The Sugar Directorate has issued 40 new licenses to sugar importers in the country, the Chief Executive Andrew Osodo has disclosed.
The regulator had suspended the issuance of the import licenses in January this year to check against the excess supply of sugar from the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa).
Yesterday, Osodo confirmed that they were now issuing new sugar import licenses and that they had already approved permits to 40 traders to do the business.
"Those whom their licenses expired in January were asked to wait until June when we review the import licenses upon receiving report on stock analysis from the millers on deficit needed," he said
Agriculture Fisheries and Food Authority (AFFA) Director General Alfred Busolo had suspended sugar imports to protect millers from unfair global competition.
The regulator was forced to cut imports by 20 percent in January this year in an effort to protect the millers from Comesa countries
Traditionally, the sugar importers are allowed only to import the difference based on the deficits realized in the production of the commodity by local sugar firms to avoid in excess supplies.