Sugar prices rise for gas crisis in refining mills: Munshi

Sugar prices increased in the local markets as millers could not refine raw sugar due to shortage of gas, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said today.

The daily requirement of sugar in Bangladesh is 7,000 tonnes, but the mills produced only 5,000 tonnes, Munshi said replying the queries of journalists.

The mills could not run in full capacity for refining the raw sugar as the gas supply was inadequate, the minister said at a press conference on the price and supply of some basic commodities in the market.

The press briefing was held at the commerce ministry office in Dhaka.

Mills could run only 66 per cent capacity because of gas shortage, which eventually created the sugar crisis in the local market, he said.

The minister is hopeful for restoring the prices of sugar in the markets soon as he hopes for an improvement in gas supply in near future.