The société sucrière du Cameroun SOSUCAM, a subsidairy of French group, Somdia has shut its Mbandjock plant over non availability of fuel. A comodity which is becoming more and more scarce hence slows down productivity in many sectors.
The Prodcution of the white cubes in the giant sugar manufacturer is temporarily suspended. This was was made known throught a statement issued by the company’s management.
This decision is definitely due to the lack of fuel. Since April 22nd 2022, SOSUCAM’s factory in Mbandjock inn the Upper Sanaga didvision of the Centre region has been tempoparaily out of service.
” To cope with this situation, until we have a better visibility , the Mbandjock plant will temporarily suspend its operation from today’‘ the deputy General of the company , Emmanuel Castels said in a statement.
The company for the past days have being having restrincts levels of delivary from its fuel suppliers. Decision to stop production is said to be maintained until ” the reconstitution of a stock and the regular resumption of deliveries by the supplier”, said Emmamuel Castel.
Sugar is a basic good consumed by Cameroonians dialy. The situation could jeopadize the sugar production of the said company which controls 70% of the market in Cameroon. It is one of the most locally consumed good.
SOSUCAM
It should be recalled that the new crisis in SOSUCAM’s plant comes shortly after the movement organised by the sugar cane cutters in the factory of Nkoteng. This company is said to grow 46,207 acres of sugar cane pantations located on two sugar manufacturing sites, namely Mbandjock and Nkoteng.
SOSUCAM produces 130,000 tons of sugar canes yearly in compliance with the quality requirements of the ISO 9001 certification, version 2000, which was received in 2009 and renewed every two years.
It sells about 100.000 tons on the Cameroonian market and supplies Chad with extra-refined sugar, which is used in breweries.The company markets its sugar under the brand name Princess Tatie.
In order to better meet growing needs of Cameroonian consumers, SOSUCAM, has developed additional areas and enhanced its output capacities. As a results, as early as 2017, the N’koteng plant has been able to grinf 225 tons of sugar canes per hour in order to produce witht the M’bandjock plant,165.000 tons of sugar cane per harvest over the entire SOSUCAM land, 61774 acres.
Nevertheless, the effects of this shutdown is already felt in the markets, shops and super markets and hence the consumers. Forover a week now, the white cubes has become rare to find. Most shops propose powder sugar or brown sugar.
” Since last week i have not been able to buy white sugar from my retailer, there is drastic shortage in the market and it seems it will get worse. In due time, consumers will turn to buy imported sugar’‘ says Claude Armel a wholeseller in the central market Yaounde.
A few steps away is Marivone,” I hope this scarcity is temporary , we are dealing with price hikes and now we had to deal with shortages. its tiring” exclaims the young woman.
The suspension of sugar production does not only affect the direct consumer but also other small firms who used sugar as a basic ingredient for production.
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JDC TV, Video news 
