Malawians Cry Foul as Sugar Prices Skyrocket to K6,000 per Packet

Many Malawians have raised concerns over reports that the price of a 1kg packet of sugar has surged to K6,000, double the government-recommended price of K3,000.

According to a report published by The Daily Times on May 26, 2025, sugar vendors across the country are selling the commodity at exorbitant prices due to a serious shortage that has persisted for days. Major retail chains such as Chipiku and Sana have run out of stock, forcing customers to queue whenever new supplies arrive.

Reacting to the situation, Kondwani Kachamba Ngwira, a well-known industrialist and trade expert, expressed frustration over the sharp price increase, recalling that just five years ago a packet of sugar cost only K660.

Taking to his Facebook page, Kachamba criticized Malawi’s overreliance on imports and weak industrial base, calling on politicians to shift their priorities:

“Instead of spending on party t-shirts, Zitenge, fuel, and lorries, they should invest in manufacturing, trade, and value addition. I assure you  it’s possible to produce sugar and sell it at K500 per packet.”

He further lamented the dominance of trade monopolies in Malawi, saying they are destroying the country’s economy and creating unnecessary scarcity.

Kachamba also emphasized the need to re-evaluate the country’s trade policies, stating “The root of poverty in Malawi lies in trade. We’re not trading enough; we are managing instead of actually trading.”

He concluded by underscoring the vital role of trade in national development “No country can prosper without trade. It is trade that drives production. Even agriculture depends on trade to thrive. Mining depends on trade. Without trade, there is nothing. We are wasting time with politics instead of serving God’s people.”