Sugar is increasingly becoming rare in Burundi

Burundi’s only sugar manufacturing plant, La Société Sucrière du Moso (SOSUMO) says just over 23 000 tons of sugar were produced in 2015 compared to just over 22 650 in 2014.

Despite the slight increase, the impact on the local market remains negative due to speculative shortages.

Sugar is one of the few broad consumer products still subsidized by the state

Sosumo, which currently has 3 000 hectares of sugar cane plantations says the high cost of production are to blame for the shortage.

According to the CEO Donatien Nijimbere, frequent shortages and high costs on the local market can be explained by a combination of high demand and unscrupulous wholesalers who have been creating artificial shortages.

Currently, it is difficult to find a kilo of sugar which is priced at slightly more than $1 dollar in the local market.

SOSUMO pays royalties to the treasury of about $ 12.5 million in taxes and has continuously called for the industry to be diversified to ease it’s financial pressures.