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July 25 2018 SAFDA LEADS UNITED INDUSTRY PROTESTS TO SAVE SOUTH AFRICA'S SUGAR INDUSTRY The South African Farmers Development Association (SAFDA) affiliated members are appealing to the government to intervene urgently in the plight of small-scale sugar-cane farmers that has left them in dire straits. SAFDA, a 15 000-member organisation, focuses on improving profitability and sustainability for small-scale and land reform sugarcane farmers. As reported by IOL Business Report, Francis Moonsamy, Deputy Secretary of SAFDA, said the situation is so bad that it is putting farmers out of business. Moonsamy blamed their plight on the cheap imported sugar price, which he said did not even benefit the consumers at large. These small- and large-scale farmers’ protests were also in support of the sugar industry’s application to stop sugar imports by increasing the dollar-based reference price for sugar. As reported by The South African Moonsamy noted: “We have farmers working hard and others even putting in their pension money, but [...]

July 25 2018FOREIGN SUGAR LEAVES BAD TASTE IN LOCAL FARMERS’ MOUTHSPRETORIA - Government assured thousands of sugarcane farmers that their ailing sector will be protected. Farmers descended on Pretoria in a massive protest led by the South African Sugar Association (SASA) and the SA Farmers Development Association (Safda). With more sugar coming in from Brazil, Thailand and even the UAE, these farmers are growing desperate and are calling on the government to step in. The farmers requested the government to impose higher tariffs on sugar imports in a bid to save and protect the local farmers. SASA chairman Suresh Naidoo said the local sugar industry was currently “under siege” and made a direct contribution of more than R15-billion to the economy.Source: http://www.enca.com/money/foreign-sugar-leaves-bad-taste-in-local-farmers-mouths

July 25 2018 SOUTH AFRICAN SUGAR INDUSTRY TO MARCH OVER INFLUX OF IMPORTS Hundreds of sugar cane farmers from KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces will on Tuesday march to the Department of Trade and Industry in Tshwane demanding that a tariff on sugar be reinstated to protect the domestic industry from cheap imports. The South African Sugar Association (SASA) said at least 1 600 cane growers and industry leaders would take part in the march and the opposition Democratic Alliance said it would also participate. SASA said the sugar industry was on the brink of collapse due to an influx of imports as a result of low duty which currently stands at $566/t. It urged the government to increase the tariff to $856/t. "Approximately 25% of the total market has been overtaken by foreign sugar, and the industry revenue has declined by R2.3-billion," SASA said in a statement. "This is taking exporting jobs to other countries." It warned of a [...]

July 25 2018 SA VOWS TO PROTECT SUGAR INDUSTRY FROM CHEAPER IMPORTS PRETORIA - The South African government on Tuesday assured thousands of sugarcane farmers who descended on Pretoria in a massive protest led by the South African Sugar Association (Sasa) and the SA Farmers Development Association (Safda) that their ailing sector will be protected. "Firstly, I just want to say as government we are disturbed by the plight of the industry plus the suffering that is taking place. We know that that there has been big imports of sugar from Brazil, India, and the UAE. Lots of sugar have come into the country, and this industry is bleeding. We know and understand that," department of trade and industry (dti) director-general Lionel October addressed the thousands of protesters. Source: https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/sa-vows-to-protect-sugar-industry-from-cheaper-imports-15713389

July 25 2018 CITY STREETS AFFECTED BY SUGARCANE FARMERS MARCH TMPD officers will be deployed to monitor the march and all affected Streets, Francis Baard, Wessels streets, Sunnyside, Arcadia, Department of Trade and Industry, Meintjies, Park streets. The Tshwane metro police (TMPD) has warned motorists of an expected traffic disruption in Arcadia due to a protest. Spokesperson Nonhlanhla Mgiba said members of the SA Sugar Association would march in the streets of Arcadia and Sunnyside on Tuesday. "The marchers will gather from 08:00 at Pretoria Art Museum corner of Francis Baard and Wessels streets in Arcadia which is their gathering point and move to the Department of Trade and Industry from 10h00 at the corner of Meintjies and Park Street in Sunnyside," she said. Mgiba said a lane in Francis Baard Street at the Pretoria Art Museum would be closed for use as parking for the 20 buses bringing protesters from KwaZulu-Natal. “From (Pretoria) Art Museum the protesters will join [...]