The Sunday Independent

BLACK SUGAR CANE GROWERS’ REVENUE SLIDES

BLACK sugar cane growers’ revenue in the past year was down 15 percent compared with previous years, the South African Cane Growers Association said last week. It attributed this to the imposition of the Health Promotion Levy (the HPL or “sugar tax”).

The figures were presented at the SA Cane Growers 94th annual general meeting. Over the past year, South African cane growers contributed R128 million to the sugar industry’s annual transformation projects, which received R200m overall. This funding provided much-needed relief to small-scale and largely black growers.

Outgoing-chairperson Rex Talmage said that although there was s long way to go, there were positive signs of recovery.

“We have seen a 14 percent growth in sugar sales resulting from reduced sugar imports and the off-take commitments from the social compact partners procuring more locally produced sugar, which is a promising glimmer of what is possible if we all work together to meet the challenges our industry continues to face, like the sugar tax,” said Talmage. | Given Majola

BUSINESS

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2021-06-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

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