‘SRA must do a survey first before importing sugar’

The United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) has advised the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to conduct a survey first in order to find out if there really is a shortage in the supply of sugar, before deciding to import.

UNIFED President Manuel Lamata said the 230,000 tons being imported by SRA will not go to the bakery and public markets, but instead will directly go to the big beverage companies.

Lamata said in a broadcast interview that if there is a shortage in the supply of sugar, the four million bags of imported sugar should be consumed by households, pointing out that the milling season had just ended in May and it is impossible that the sugar supply is already depleted.

Lamata advised the SRA to commission a private surveyor, who will go around the country in order to conduct inventory and import only the volume that is lacking.

The UNIFED president pointed out that the country can import sugar, but only for local consumption, and not to supply the beverage companies as it would bring down prices at the local market.

The next milling season will begin sometime next month or in September, and Lamata is forecasting a shortage of sugar next year.

He pointed out that due to the expensive price of fertilizers, planters have resorted to applying only very little fertilizer to their sugarcane plants, which thus affects production.* (DGB)