Based on the outcome of a limited coordination meeting on January 26, 2021, demand for refined sugar for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries in the first semester of 2021, set at 1.3 million tons, will soon be provided for in a decision
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Industry Ministry has set the allocation of refined sugar for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries at 3.1 million tons in 2021 on the basis of a ministerial-level coordination meeting held on December 14, 2020.

In a written statement released on Friday, Director General of Agro Industry at the Industry Ministry Abdul Rochim appealed to food and beverage manufacturers to not harbor concerns over a shortage in supplies of refined sugar in 2021.

"Based on the outcome of a limited coordination meeting on January 26, 2021, demand for refined sugar for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries in the first semester of 2021, set at 1.3 million tons, will soon be provided for in a decision soon," he remarked.

Moreover, the ministry had issued a permit at the end of December 2020 to import 1.9 million tons of refined sugar to cater to the demand in the first semester of 2021, he pointed out.

Chief of the Indonesian Refined Sugar Association (AGRI) Benardi Dharmawan shared Rochim's viewpoint, saying that since the permit was issued, AGRI members have acted swiftly to import refined sugar for local industries.

"Imported raw sugar began to arrive in the second week of January. As per the permit, the import in semester I covers 1.9 million tons," he noted.

Dharmawan has made assurance that refined sugar supplies will be safe until the end of 2021.

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Translator: Sella Panduarsa G/Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
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