Starafrica wants help to stop cheap sugar from sneaking into Zimbabwe. The firm seeks aid from leaders to protect local sugar makers.
Foreign sugar keeps coming in, even after the country changed its rules last month. The Government had let sugar in freely starting in February, but that rule changed.
"We need help to stop others from dumping sugar here," said company leader Rungamo Mbire. He spoke as his firm shared its money reports.
Zimbabwe makes enough sugar for everyone at home. Yet sugar from other lands keeps showing up. Tracy Mutaviri, who works with sugar makers, sees big problems ahead.
The country wants better sugar for its people. By law, sugar makers must add vitamin A to improve the sugar. But foreign sugar comes in without this extra good stuff.
"They sell sugar without the vitamin we add," Mutaviri said. "We spend $10 for each ton to make our sugar better. Their cheap sugar hurts us." She told police where to find the bad sugar, but nothing changed.
The money news looks bright for Starafrica right here. The company made a profit of 25.6 million ZiG last year, but it lost 86.9 million ZiG.
Sales increased 37 percent. The firm sold more sugar and found ways to spend less money making it. They earned 523.9 million ZiG, up from 381.8 million before.
Local sugar makers think they can feed the whole country. They say Zimbabwe should not need foreign sugar if local plants keep working well.
Foreign sugar keeps coming in, even after the country changed its rules last month. The Government had let sugar in freely starting in February, but that rule changed.
"We need help to stop others from dumping sugar here," said company leader Rungamo Mbire. He spoke as his firm shared its money reports.
Zimbabwe makes enough sugar for everyone at home. Yet sugar from other lands keeps showing up. Tracy Mutaviri, who works with sugar makers, sees big problems ahead.
The country wants better sugar for its people. By law, sugar makers must add vitamin A to improve the sugar. But foreign sugar comes in without this extra good stuff.
"They sell sugar without the vitamin we add," Mutaviri said. "We spend $10 for each ton to make our sugar better. Their cheap sugar hurts us." She told police where to find the bad sugar, but nothing changed.
The money news looks bright for Starafrica right here. The company made a profit of 25.6 million ZiG last year, but it lost 86.9 million ZiG.
Sales increased 37 percent. The firm sold more sugar and found ways to spend less money making it. They earned 523.9 million ZiG, up from 381.8 million before.
Local sugar makers think they can feed the whole country. They say Zimbabwe should not need foreign sugar if local plants keep working well.
