Sugar Millers Upbeat After Tanzania Permits Import
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NEW VISION, Wednesday, July 24, 2019 7 UGANDA'S SUGAR EXPORTERS CAN NOW EXPORT TO NEIGHBOURS TANZANIA AFTER PERMITS WERE ISSUED the same so that our brothers By Samuel Sanya and sisters in those countries . and. Mary __ Karugaba .. enjoy the benefits of open borders," he said. The Uganda-Tanzania Sugar millersupbeat after "Although we have a sugar relations are largely sweet, surplus in Uganda, our sugar except when it comes to is subject to quotas in Kenya. sugar. When we request to export However, it is all sorted 5,000 or 4,000 metric tonnes now after the issuance of of sugar, we only get approval permits for the importation of Tanzania permitsimport for 200 tonnes," he added. Uganda's sugar following last Mathias Wanok, the year's impasse. Kinyara sugarworks publicist, In a letter to Uganda's foreign by Kakira Sugar Works over Ugandan sugar had been welcomed the issuance of affairs ministry, Tanzania's allegations that Uganda was lifted following the bilateral permits and noted that the high commission revealed re-exporting sugar from meeting, no export permits move will bolster the revenues that importation permits have outside the East African had been granted till the of millers and the welfare of been issued to Tanzanian Community (EAC). recent pronouncement nearly sugarcane farmers. Kakira had entered into an • Kakira had entered into an six months after the meeting Uganda produces 400,500 firms, such as Kagera Sugar agreement with Tanzania's Kagera Company Ltd, Mtibwa Sugar agreement with Tanzania's between the ministers. tonnes of sugar annually, Sugar Limited to export 5,000 Kagera Sugar Limited to with only 342,325 consumed Estate, Kilombero Sugar tonnes of sugar at $4m (sh15b). export 5,000 tonnes of sugar Respect EAC customs locally. This means the country Company Ltd, and TPC. However, Tanzanian authorities "In that regard, the 'High at $4m (shrgb). Mayur Madhvani, the has an annual surplus of about refused to clear it duty-free as However, Tanzanian managing director of Kakira 58,000 tonnes for the export Commission requests per the East African Community the ministry to inform authorities refused to clear Sugar Works, thanked the market. (EAC) Protocol on trade. stakeholders, especially the it duty-free as per the East Tanzanian government, but Tanzania produces about Ugandan sugar exporters, African Community (EAC) urged the governments to 300,000 tonnes of sugar that they can export sugar Protocol on trade. respect the EAC customs annually, a 2.30/o increase from Uganda to the United They insisted that Kagera with the other sugar on the sugar was awarded pnonty union rules of origin 2015 and year-on-year. Republic of Tanzania through Sugar pays 250/o duty before Tanzanian market. and preferential market access open their borders to locally• However, local demand is the aforementioned Tanzanian allowing it into the country. However, a joint verification to Tanzania during a meeting produced products. estimated at 590,000 tonnes, sugar companies," the letter Kagera Sugar was not willing mission by officials from between Amelia Kyambadde, "This is a step in the right which leaves a massive dated July 17, read. to pay the 250/o duty on the Tanzania and Uganda the trade 'minister and her direction. Uganda respects 290,000-tonne shortage, Trouble started in July last sugar on grounds that this established the existence of a Tanzanian counterpart, Joseph the EAC customs union rules. which is filled by imports. year when Tanzania blocked would push the prices up, sugar surplus in Uganda. Kakunda. However, we urge Kenya, Uganda's surplus is not 12,000 bags of sugar produced thus make it less competitive Consequently, Uganda's Although a blockade on Rwanda and Tanzania to do enough to fill the current gap. Kadaga lashes out at Members of Exportersoppose sections of the National Coffee Bill Parliament over corruptionpractices KyagatmyiCQ!h• By Lisa Nsaba and Limited. one ot: ~ .. Steven _Turyarugayo . cotfee ~~ have opposed ,Me proposal in The Speaker of Parliament, the ~ Colfee Bill to Rebecca Kadaga, has lashed ~ the export duty on out at MPs who sign · for ~{,em 1% to 20/o. allowance and do not attend ~ company presented the prescribed meetings to the # views yesterday to end. Parliament's agriculture Kadaga said it was wrong committee, which is currently for legislators to sign for handling the Bill. emoluments yet they do not Kyagalanyi Coffee limited's fulfill their obligations and trade and purchasing mandate of legislation, saying manager, Moses Kiningwire. it was a form of corruption. said: "Our wish is to have the She expressed tax maintained at the current disappointment that the 1%. Increasing taxes on coffee legislators were not living to exports will affect the price at the citizens' expectation of which the product is bought being exemplary, saying they from farmers. Taxes should focus more on signing for their not be regressive... When you allowances yet they do not do increase taxes, it affects the the work they are paid to do. sector negatively." "You come and smell the The company also oppc,sed house by signing and you do the various penalties not even enter the chamber. Speaker of Parliament Kadaga (right) with MPs and officials from different proposed in die 8il1 aP)llSt Can you imagine? All that Government organisations during the launch of the Parliamentary Forum on Ethics fanners and tot1'ee .dealers is corruption," the Speaker and Integrity yesterday. Photo by Miriam Namutebi. who will not have complied said. with the teqU.bd staiidaids, Kadaga made the remarks country has a generation of Museveni said. first address the issue of ethics arguiqg tfiat they were not while launching the integrity. She added that the ministry and integrity in order to grow called fur. Parliamentary Forum of Ethics The First Lady and education plans to incorporate the study economically. "'l'be BUI says a: faimet' and Integrity yesterday at the minister, Mrs. Janet Museveni, of ethics in the education "The forum is going to be who jieglectS his farm is house. in a statement read by the curriculum so that children are constantly reminding the to be jailed. But someone The forum was formed by general duties minister, Mary taught ethical values. country on what to do right can neglect a fann due MPs to act as a platform to Karooro Okurut (Bushenyi "This will be Primary and and what is going wrong. We to conditions beyond :his discuss, uphold and defend Woman MP), urged legislators Secondary school because have to tell the nation to either control Such ~ are the country's moral values. to spread the gospel of good these are the formative years, swim or sink together, since not necessary, Its vision is to have a nation parenting, saying it is the main where what is taught to the there is no other way around stated. whose nationals are informed pillar of a strong and upright children sticks with them," it," Buturo added. He' SU by deep personal respect of society. Okurut read. Simon Lokodo, the ethics and adherence to ethical values "Parents are the first James Nsaba Buturo minister, in a statement read such as honesty, accountability educators before a child goes (Bufumbira County East), by Alex Okello, the permanent and integrity. to a formal school, the parents the chairperson of the forum secretary to the ministry, Kadaga was happy about should be involved in molding said the forum, is not only an appreciated the legislators for the forum and said rectitude the children in the right way effort from Parliament, but their concern about ethics of should start right from the as far as their issues of ethical something the nation will pick the society. He said this was a young children so that the values are concemed,"Mrs. up. He said Uganda should sign of change at hand. .