Mozambique: Sugar industry returns to growth in exports
Thématique :
mozambique
Maputo, Mozambique, 23 March
The Mozambican sugar industry, after in 2007 seeing a fall in export volumes, saw a recovery in 2008, exporting 134,796 tonnes of sugar to various markets, according to a report from Mozambican news agency AIM.
According to the Mozambican minister of Agriculture, Soares Nhaca, exports in 2008 provided revenue of around US$65 million, which was an increase of 55 percent on 2007, a rise which was the result of an average price of US$482 per tonne.
Menawhile, even with a rise in exports seen in 2008, the record year remains 2006, when large amounts of sugar were exported, particularly to the international free market.
However, in terms of revenue, exports in 2008 reached a peak, given that the biggest volume went to preferential markets, where prices are more attractive.
As part of the Everything But Arms (EBA) initiative, in 2007-2008 exports to this market totalled 37,500 tonnes. This year Mozambique was given an additional quota of around 10,000 tonnes, due to some developing countries being unable to meet their EBA quotas, making a total quota of 47,565 tonnes.
