The government has published new guidelines to boost the struggling sugar industry, including measures to ensure it is designated a priority supplier in SA.
The local sugar industry generates an income of about R14bn a year and is responsible for at least 350,000 jobs. However, it has been on the brink of collapse in recent times due to several headwinds, including a drop in sales volumes, partly due to the sugar tax, falling prices and stiff competition from cheap imports mainly from Brazil.