Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry Chairperson has welcomed the decision by the Minister of Trade and Industry to endorse the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa’s (ITAC’s) recommendation to adjust sugar tariffs.

In November 2017, the committee initially heard that the sugar industry was being adversely impacted by cheap sugar imports. The South African Sugar Association (Sasa) subsequently made an application to ITAC to adjust the sugar tariff in February 2018. The committee then held two follow-up meetings in April and June 2018 to engage Sasa and ITAC, together with other relevant stakeholders in the sugar industry, in this regard.

The committee Chairperson, Ms Joanmariae Fubbs, said: “At this time, this is the correct action, as swift steps were needed to grant urgent relief to the industry and sufficient trade protection against the huge increase in imports.”

The committee will have further engagements with ITAC, the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Treasury and Sasa on the implementation of the sugar tariff and to ensure that the sugar industry is regulated in a fair and equitable manner.