PROPOSED SUGAR TAX PART OF RISKS FACING INDUSTRY

MBABANE – The proposed sugar tax by the World Health Organisation (WHO) forms part of the short-term risks facing the local sugar industry.

The Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation (RES Corp) Managing Director Nick Jackson shared that out of the many risks faced by the sugar industry was the anti-sugar campaign (sugar tax).
“Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages can be a powerful tool to promote health, because they save lives and prevent diseases, while advancing health equity and mobilising revenue for countries that could be used to realise universal health coverage,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO.

Sustainability

Jackson added that other risks facing the company include the rising cost of production, strained miller/grower relations, regional stability and sustainability of small-scale growers.
He added that long-term risks include climate change, water availability and skills availability. He said another long-term challenge likely to be faced by the industry would be preference erosion (region and global). He said, however, that on the anti-sugar campaign, the company has a plan in place, which includes producing the sugar cane to produce more ethanol and jet fuel among other things.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: