Gas crisis cuts sugar production

Business Desk :
A gas supply crisis at mills has reduced the production of sugar and increased the market price, according to Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi.
But sugar can still be bought at the market, the commerce minister said on Thursday following a meeting with a taskforce on inflation and market monitoring.
The minister would not give a straight answer when asked when the supply of sugar would stabilise and prices would return to the level set by the government, reports bdnews24.com.
“The supply of sugar needs to be regular,” he said. “If the supply is slow, there is a problem. If it returns to normal, it will be sold at the set price.”
“I don’t see any negative impact on sugar. Sugar is available. There will be no problems until January. However, sugar production has been disrupted by irregular gas supply,” he said.
“Mills are not able to produce more than 66 per cent of their capacity.”
Munshi blamed external factors for the difficulties people were facing due to inflation and said: “It is true that people are suffering. But most of the blame is due to international factors. We cannot change these international issues overnight.”
The government was aware that people were suffering due to the rising prices of basic necessities, he said.
The government raised the prices of sugar in the first week of October in an apparent move to catch up with the market as the traders were already selling at higher rates than the previously fixed prices.