Buy Zimbabwe exposes unfortified, non-compliant sugar dealers

BUY Zimbabwe has raised a flag on seven unfortified imported sugar brands, which are said to violate laid-down regulations, and has called for their removal from shelves to protect consumers.

The unfortified brands are contravening Sections 4 and 5 of Statutory Instrument (SI) 120 of 2016, which requires that sugar be fortified with food fortificants approved by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.

Added to that, the proliferation of unfortified sugar imports in the market is exerting undue competition with local products.

The concern comes as industry players are also raising the alarm about cheap imports of sugar originating from surplus producers who enjoy duty protection in their host countries.

In a statement on Friday, Buy Zimbabwe, General Manager Mr Alois Burutsa said from compliance tests down, Golden Sugar, Sunshine Brown Sugar, Selati White Sugar, Splendid Brown Sugar, Flair Brown Sugar, Selati Sprinkle Joy Brown Sugar, and Evergold Brown Sugar proved to be non-compliant.

“Buy Zimbabwe expresses concern over reports that some imported unfortified sugar brands are being sold on the local market in contravention of sections 4 and 5 of Statutory Instrument 120 of 2016 which requires that sugar be fortified with food fortificants that have been approved by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

“To date, compliance tests conducted show that the following brands are non-compliant: Ashna Golden Sugar, Sunshine Brown Sugar, Selati White Sugar, Splendid Brown Sugar, Flair Brown Sugar, Selati Sprinkle Joy Brown Sugar, Evergold Brown Sugar, ” said Mr Burutsa.

In addition, he said the seven brands are also non-compliant with labelling as they have also failed to meet the labelling requirements tests.

” Some of these brands do not have nutritional information and expiry dates as prescribed by regulations.

“We, therefore call upon the relevant authorities to ensure that the above-mentioned non-compliant brands are removed from the market and should not be imported into Zimbabwe. “They should be taken off our shelves to protect our innocent, unsuspecting consumers.”

He said the non-compliant sugar brands are working against SI 120 of 2016 whose main objective is to address the deficiencies of micronutrients which compromise the physical and cognitive capacity of millions of people in low and middle-income countries.

“Section 7 states that,” No person shall manufacture, import, pack, store, or sell any wheat flour, milled maize products, sugar, salt or edible oil unless such flour, sugar or edible oil is fortified unless otherwise exempted by the Secretary of Health and Child Care.”

As Buy Zimbabwe, we are urging the relevant authorities to take the necessary action against the importation of these unfortified sugar brands as they fall short of the nutritional benefits,” said the general manager.

He added that Buy Zimbabwe will continue to push for the production and preference for good quality, compliant proudly Zimbabwean products which create jobs and wealth for Zimbabweans.

Since 2011 Buy Zimbabwe has been spearheading a campaign to promote local procurement and consumption of locally produced goods.

Government has in the past said the Buy Zimbabwe campaign to buy local products was at the centre of the national development matrix of achieving Vision 2030.-chronicle