A report from the Consejo Estatal del Azúcar (CEA) indicates that the state sugar council will lose RD$810 million this year due to financial problems and a low production. The CEA has accumulated debts for over RD$4,800 million. The 1998 harvest will be the lowest in its history, with a production of only 170,000 tons of raw sugar. The government is contemplating the privatization of the CEA, but at this time it would be best off just giving it away in order to reduce the financial burden on the state.
