Govt to import 0.1m tonnes of sugar from Brazil
Friday, 2 March 2012
Monira Munni
The government will import 0.1 million tonnes of sugar from Brazil through state-to-state agreement to keep the market stable during Ramadan, officials said.
A high-profile delegation headed by Industries Minister Dilip Barua will go to Brazil this week to explore the possibility of importing sugar through state-to-state agreement, they added.
"Process is going on to import sugar from different countries through direct government-to-government agreements," the minister told the FE.
The procurement drive is part of a strategy to enable consumers to purchase the essential item at a lower price during Ramadan, he added.
The government has taken the decision to import sugar through state-to-state agreements, as the system earlier proved successful in importing fertiliser. As a result, there was no scarcity of fertiliser, even during the peak season, the minister added.
Earlier, the Ministry of Industries requested the Ambassador of Brazil in Bangladesh to take necessary measures to export sugar through state-to-state agreement.
Ambassador Ricardo L Viana De Carvalho in a meeting held in February assured the minister, "We will help Bangladesh in importing sugar from Brazil."
Brazil is the largest sugar producing country in the world and it is possible to utilise the Brazilian experience in local state-owned sugar mills for raising sugar production and its recovery rate, the minister said.
"The fact finding mission will also explore the possibility of technology transfer to upgrade the local state-owned sugar mills and raise production," a senior officer of the ministry said.
The country's annual demand for sugar is around 1.3 million tonnes, of which the state-owned sugar mills can supply around 0.12 million tonnes. A substantial portion of the demand is met through import.
The minister said the government has also taken several programmes to double the production of the local sugar mills, including increasing the price of sugarcane and starting the mobile-based 'purji system.'
The government will import 0.1 million tonnes of sugar from Brazil through state-to-state agreement to keep the market stable during Ramadan, officials said.
A high-profile delegation headed by Industries Minister Dilip Barua will go to Brazil this week to explore the possibility of importing sugar through state-to-state agreement, they added.
"Process is going on to import sugar from different countries through direct government-to-government agreements," the minister told the FE.
The procurement drive is part of a strategy to enable consumers to purchase the essential item at a lower price during Ramadan, he added.
The government has taken the decision to import sugar through state-to-state agreements, as the system earlier proved successful in importing fertiliser. As a result, there was no scarcity of fertiliser, even during the peak season, the minister added.
Earlier, the Ministry of Industries requested the Ambassador of Brazil in Bangladesh to take necessary measures to export sugar through state-to-state agreement.
Ambassador Ricardo L Viana De Carvalho in a meeting held in February assured the minister, "We will help Bangladesh in importing sugar from Brazil."
Brazil is the largest sugar producing country in the world and it is possible to utilise the Brazilian experience in local state-owned sugar mills for raising sugar production and its recovery rate, the minister said.
"The fact finding mission will also explore the possibility of technology transfer to upgrade the local state-owned sugar mills and raise production," a senior officer of the ministry said.
The country's annual demand for sugar is around 1.3 million tonnes, of which the state-owned sugar mills can supply around 0.12 million tonnes. A substantial portion of the demand is met through import.
The minister said the government has also taken several programmes to double the production of the local sugar mills, including increasing the price of sugarcane and starting the mobile-based 'purji system.'