Makamba : a persistent crisis around SOSUMO sugar

The sugar produced by the Moso Sugar Company (SOSUMO) is missing from shelves of all shops in the province of Makamba, located in the south of Burundi. Residents say they are overwhelmed.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Since the price of sugar was increased by SOSUMO, before being revised downwards by the ministry in charge of trade, this commodity has remained unobtainable. When it is available, sugar is secretly sold at 10,000 Burundi francs per kilogram, a prohibitive price for many residents.

A shortage since October

Residents of Makamba report that the shortage has been ongoing since October. According to them, wholesalers have stopped selling the product, considering that they are working at a loss.

“Since the price of sugar went from 3,300 to 8,000 Burundi francs, shops have stopped getting supplies,” they explain.

Even after the intervention of the Minister of trade, Marie Chantal Nijimbere, who reduced the price from 8,000 to 6,000 francs on October 17, sugar is still nowhere to be found in the province.

An affected population

Consequences of this situation are serious for inhabitants of Makamba. Many are struggling to provide for the needs of children, the sick and other vulnerable people who depend on this basic commodity.

Wholesalers talk about losses

Shop owners and other retailers torch wholesalers, who refuse to buy from SOSUMO. The latter justify their position by financial losses they are suffering. “Even before the increase in the price of sugar, we were operating at a loss. But when SOSUMO increased the purchase price from 165,000 to 400,000 francs per bag, many of us could no longer afford to continue this trade,” they explain.

After the Minister of trade reduced the price to 6,000 francs, losses are still inevitable for wholesalers. According to them, the profit of 500 francs per bag does not cover the transport and unloading costs. “This causes us considerable losses,” they add.

Clandestine marketing

Currently, the few traders who manage to obtain sugar sell it at 10,000 francs per kilogram, but clandestinely.

The powerless administration

The local administration, although informed of the situation, admits its inability to resolve this problem that weighs heavily on the population.

The sugar shortage in Makamba province illustrates a complex economic and social dilemma, revealing the limits of current measures to regulate this vital market.

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A woman seller of products that have experienced an excessive price increase including sugar, in her shop in the town center of Makamba, December 2024 (SOS Médias Burundi)