DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania intends to import more than 300,000 tonnes of sugar this year in a bid to end an existing shortage of the commodity, a senior official said Thursday.
Tanzanian Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe said more than 25,000 tonnes of sugar are currently being offloaded from a ship at the Port of Dar es Salaam.
Bashe told the media at the State House in Dar es Salaam that the importation of more than 300,000 tonnes of sugar will be overseen by the National Food Reserve Agency.
He said he was optimistic that sugar availability would stabilize starting next month.
Bashe lashed out at retailers of sugar for raising the price of the commodity, saying authorities have launched a crackdown on traders who are hoarding and raising the price of sugar against the indicative prices set by the government.
On Wednesday, Mohamed Mchengerwa, minister of state in the President's Office responsible for regional administration and local governments, warned business people against hoarding sugar, saying those implicated in the malpractice will face the full force of the law.
Mchengerwa also ordered regional and district commissioners to crack down on hoarders of the commodity. ■
