Fortification of Vegetable oil and Sugar with Vitamin A in Uganda

CHAPTER FIVE
V. The Public Health Attraction of Fortified Ugandan Sugar
A. Sugar Fortification Prospects
Sugar has been considered an attractive potential fortification vehicle since fortification
discussions began in Uganda in the mid 1990s. Uganda has 3 major sugar mills which together
produce about 83 percent of the national requirement. These three major sugar mills, Kakira,
Kinyara, and Lugazi (the latter owned by SCOUL) 13 have participated sporadically in MOH-led
meetings and discussions about fortification since 2001. Trials to determine technical feasibility
were conducted in Kakira Sugar Works in 2005. The results showed that fortifying Uganda sugar
with fortificants available on the market was possible. The three mills are all members of the
Ugandan Sugar Cane Technologists Association (USCTA), and the trials were done under the
association banner.
1. The Sugar Companies Conditional Acceptance of Fortification has been Noted,
but Decisions Have not been Taken
Evidence dating from at least December 2004 highlights the sugar industry’s position on
mandatory sugar fortification.
“The key concern for the sugar industry is the increase in cost due to change in
technology and the fortificant. It was also pointed out that fortification should be
made mandatory to all sugar industries so all of their costs of production go up
and hence are able to compete. The sugar industries further pointed out that apart
from the issue of acceptability of fortified sugar, once they start fortifying,
government should put a ban on unfortified sugar….” (Kalyowa, MOST
2004:24).
It was noted that Kakira was “eager to fortify and is hoping for Government to make sugar
fortification in Uganda mandatory. Two other sugar mills, Lugazi and Kinyara, would also
participate in the fortification” (Makhmula, 2006). Just eight months later, the same consultant
reported on a visit to Kakira: “Management in this factory is considering fortification of sugar
they produce as long as regulations are in place and all mills are required by law to fortify.”
Government officials wish fortification to remain voluntary to avoid “giving the sugar millers a
monopoly.”
As a result, sugar fortification in Uganda is at an impasse. And further, the sugar industry’s
opposition to voluntary fortification has solidified over the years.
Visits to each of the three largest mills for this study found two top managers in one mill
expressing open hostility and opposition to fortification—primarily because of cost implications.
13 Lugazi Sugar is often referred to as SCOUL (Sugar Company of Uganda, Ltd.), which is the company that owns
Lugazi Sugar.
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