SUGAR FORTIFIED WITH VITAMIN A, CAMA ADVOCATE CONSUMERS TO PURCHASING FORTIFIED FOODS

Frank Kauteka Tembo

Consumer Association of Malawi (CAMA) has called upon consumers to buy food products that are fortified following the government’s initiative of fortifying sugar with vitamin A to address the malnutrition boom in the country. 

Speaking with Voice of Kanyawazi Northern Region CAMA Coordinator said government’s initiative of fortifying sugar will relieve a lot of economic vulnerable Malawians from malnutrition.

“In the first place let me congratulate government for the idea of fortifying sugar with Vitamin A which was introduced last year with the aim of improving the health of the vulnerable.

“This is just a start because very soon it will be a law that every food products that are consumed at large by people with different economic status should be fortified with various vitamins so that a common man should have access to these nutritious minerals within a single product,” he said. 

Gondwe made an appeal to consumers to purchase food items that are fortified so that they acquire various vitamins in single product that would be accessed in various food items.

“Every food that is fortified has a fortification logo and lists of food contents that are in the food product as such, every consumer should choose whether to purchase food item that is nutritious for his or her body and family or choose food products that will give little nutrients.

“Let me warn all institutions that cheats consumers that their food items are fortified while in actual sense there are no listed food contents in the product as indicated, that it is illegal and CAMA will be a watchdog to ensure that consumers access right products,” he said.

He said the malpractice will attract the fines amounting five hundred thousand kwacha because it is against the law.

CAMA further asks the media and all citizens to protect fortified sugar from being smuggled by neighboring countries arguing that government is pumping in a lot of money so that the health of most economic vulnerable Malawians should be improved.

“Meanwhile, we are negotiating with Illovo Sugar Company to come up with small units of packets of sugar that is fortified so that the vulnerable should access the vitamins in line government’s will.” Gondwe added.

Sugar was chosen by government to be fortified as it is used by many common Malawians who may not afford accessing many food products that have a lot of vitamins.

With this initiative a lot of companies have expressed willingness of fortifying their food products so that they take part in improving the health capacity of the country.