The Consejo Estatal del Azucar (CEA) has announced that it will not be refining sugar this season due to the high costs involved in the process. CEA officials have estimated that in order to produce 100 pounds of refined sugar at least 140 pounds of raw product must be used, making it unprofitable. Instead, the company has chosen to import the refined product that should be more economical.
The corporation’s CEO, Juan Andrés Plá, says it will not have to make any cash disbursements to pay for imports because it has contracted a group of suppliers who will be responsible for defraying all costs resulting from the operation. Last year, the Dominican Republic imported 48 thousand metric tons of sugar to meet the domestic demand.