Zimbabwe to establish sugar regulatory authority, expand sector capacity 

ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe is moving to formalize the Zimbabwe Sugar Association as the official regulatory authority for the country’s sugar industry, according to a report by The Herald.  

The initiative forms part of a broader government effort to overhaul the legal and institutional framework guiding the sugar sector. 

Obert Jiri, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, confirmed the development, noting that the Sugar Act is currently under review.  

“The Sugar Act is currently under review to align it with modern agricultural economic and environmental standards,” Jiri said. 

He added that the review process is still in its early phases, with legal experts working to identify areas where the existing legislation—largely focused on sugar processing—can be improved to support the entire value chain. 

The planned transformation of the Zimbabwe Sugar Association into a regulatory authority aims to bring structure and efficiency to all stages of the sugar industry, from farming to marketing.  

It is expected to enhance coordination between large commercial operations and smallholder producers, while also strengthening the country’s trade policy tools to protect local production from external competition. 

Zimbabwe is largely self-sufficient in sugar. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates that domestic sugar production reached 439,000 tonnes in the 2024/2025 period.  

Over the past three years, annual domestic consumption has averaged approximately 380,000 tonnes, allowing for a modest surplus. 

Despite this, the sector continues to face several challenges. These include high production costs, limited access to agricultural inputs and skilled labor, and the need for improved availability of sugarcane cuttings to increase production. 

To address these concerns, the Ministry of Agriculture has initiated the development of a 10-year strategic plan for the sugar industry.  

“Recently, we also met with the sugar people to understand their concerns,” Jiri said. “What we ended up saying is, let’s have a 10-year strategic plan whose consultations are currently underway to ensure that all the players in the sugar industry are involved.” 

Additionally, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has announced plans to construct a new sugar mill at Mkwasine Estates in Chiredzi.  

The mill is expected to support over 500 A2 farmers in the area, who currently incur high transport costs moving their cane 70 kilometers to existing mills at Triangle and Hippo Valley Estates. 

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.