El Caribe reports that the Mexican sugar consortium, Consorcio Azucarero del Caribe (Conazucar) has announced it is willing to reach an agreement with the government to give up the Ozama sugar mill it won in the privatization tender. The Mexican company won the tender but has not been able to fully operate the mill properly due to opposition from the sugar plantain owners in the area. The mill had not produced sugar in four years and demands a big investment so it can operate fully. Guillermo de la Vega, director general of the company, said Conazucar will produce 77,000 metric tons of raw sugar in its first year, of which 49,000 tons will be shipped to the US market, and the rest will be allotted to the local market. Conazucar won the tender for the Rio Haina, Boca Chica, Ozama, Consuelo and Quisqueya sugar mills. He says the company has invested more than US$22 million in the revamping of the sugar producing installations.
