All this week we've been reporting on the sharp drop in the projected price per tonne of sugar. It has sent shockwaves all through the north - where many farmers are saying that with the diminished returns they won't be able to service their bank loans. It's another looming crisis in this industry that seems to lurch from one crisis to the next. So what can government do to help? Today, the CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture told us that they are monitoring it closely:...
Jose Alpuche, CEO Agriculture
"We just received a copy of a letter from BSCFA appealing to BSI to take measures to improve the prices. At the moment it's being dealt with at the commercial level between the farmers and the factory and we are giving time for that discussion to mature. However, the very high prices over the last few years had more to do with global demand and that is now weighing in. So, now as we had expected we would see a reduction in the price of sugar at this point in time. It is something we are monitoring very closely. SICB will meet probably next week after the round of discussions between the millers and the farmers are completed."
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