The Ministry of Trade and Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has warned traders that are hoarding sugar that the law will apply for unfair trade practices.

Minister responsible Vitumbiko Mumba said this in Lilongwe after closing Chipiku Stores at Game Complex for hoarding the product without proper reasons.

"We were tipped that Chipiku Stores at Game Complex has been hoarding sugar deliberately, hence the move to address the malpractice," Mumba added.

CFTC executive director Lloyd Vincent Nkhoma told Zodiak that they are carrying out an operation to crack down on those hoarding and selling sugar above the price.

"We have also intensified market surveillance on prices of sugar across the country and the law will apply accordingly," said Nkhoma.

The Ministry of Labour and CFTC officials also inspected ShopRite and Chipiku Stores in Chilambula, where managers of the shops were forced to release sugar, and some customers managed to buy the product.

Sugar is fast becoming scarce in most parts of the country's supermarkets as customers are mostly sent back on the grounds that the product is out of stock.

The situation has left most customers desperate in search of this basic commodity.