Govt won't allow production of molasses close to sugar mills zone
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
FE Report
The government will not allow production of molasses any where close to sugar mills zone to protect the country's sugar industry, Industries Minister, Dilip Barua said Tuesday.
"The government will take a decision in this respect in the greater interest of the 15,000 workers employed in this sector in the northern region of the country," the minister said.
"In implementing the decision to stop molasses production in mill zones, we will, if necessary, take the assistance of law enforcement agencies through the Home Ministry," he said.
The minister was speaking in a meeting with Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) officials about problems of sugarcane cultivation, sugar production and distribution at the secretariat.
It was decided in the meeting that the state-owned sugar mills will produce refined sugar from raw sugar and a new distillery unit will be set up.
Corporation officials emphasised the need for strengthening Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI) by linking it with BSFIC to increase sugar recovery capacity from sugarcanes. The 15 state-owned mills need around 2.6 million tonnes sugarcane every season. The country's annual demand for sugar and molasses is around 1.4 million tonnes and 0.5 million tonnes respectively.
Dewan Zakir Hossain, secretary of Ministry of Industries and Ranjit Kumar Biswas, chairman of BSFIC, among the other representatives from the Ministries of Commerce, Agriculture, Home and Foreign Ministry and, BSRI, were present in the meeting.
The government will not allow production of molasses any where close to sugar mills zone to protect the country's sugar industry, Industries Minister, Dilip Barua said Tuesday.
"The government will take a decision in this respect in the greater interest of the 15,000 workers employed in this sector in the northern region of the country," the minister said.
"In implementing the decision to stop molasses production in mill zones, we will, if necessary, take the assistance of law enforcement agencies through the Home Ministry," he said.
The minister was speaking in a meeting with Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) officials about problems of sugarcane cultivation, sugar production and distribution at the secretariat.
It was decided in the meeting that the state-owned sugar mills will produce refined sugar from raw sugar and a new distillery unit will be set up.
Corporation officials emphasised the need for strengthening Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI) by linking it with BSFIC to increase sugar recovery capacity from sugarcanes. The 15 state-owned mills need around 2.6 million tonnes sugarcane every season. The country's annual demand for sugar and molasses is around 1.4 million tonnes and 0.5 million tonnes respectively.
Dewan Zakir Hossain, secretary of Ministry of Industries and Ranjit Kumar Biswas, chairman of BSFIC, among the other representatives from the Ministries of Commerce, Agriculture, Home and Foreign Ministry and, BSRI, were present in the meeting.