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Sugar shortage hits Berbicians hard

Jun 29, 2008 News

– prices more than double
– no sugar in the hospitals

Despite assurances from the Government and the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) that there is no sugar shortage, Berbicians are complaining that they are getting to buy only very small quantities of the commodity, and they are being charged high prices.
Sugar has been scarce in Berbice for the past month, and one resident said that the price of the commodity has doubled in some instances.
Yesterday, a Government official monitoring the situation said that there are indications that sugar is being smuggled to Suriname and that some distributors are also hoarding the commodity.
The Ministry of Agriculture has reportedly written Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Khurshid Sattaur, on the smuggling of sugar to Suriname through the Corentyne River.
GuySuCo has, moreover, warned that it will stop supplying sugar to anyone found unfairly driving up the price of sugar.
By way of a recent press statement, a company official indicated that even though the price of sugar has remained unchanged since 2006, there have been reports that some wholesalers are charging far more than expected and blaming GuySuCo.
In an advertisement published in the Kaieteur News of Sunday, May 18, the corporation advised that, over the past two years, the price for a 50-kilogram (110-lb) bag of sugar ex-factory has remained at $3,800.
“If any wholesaler is found to be driving up the price, (that wholesaler) will be struck from the list of approved suppliers,” the advertisement warned.
Some wholesalers are selling the 50-kilogram sack of sugar for as much as $4,600. In turn, the retailers who purchase sugar at this price are passing this increased cost on to consumers.
Spiralling food prices, spurred by skyrocketing fuel costs, climate change and use of farm lands to now produce bio-fuel instead of food, has contributed to a global situation of concern for policy makers.
Recently, several Government ministers visited Berbice and, along with GuySuCo officials, sought to assure residents that there is no shortage of the essential commodity. However, the prices tell a different story.
The suggested price of the staple should be around $35 dollars per pound, but sugar is being sold for as much as $100 per pound, depending on which part of the county one resides.
In places like Black Bush Polder, some parts of New Amsterdam and the Canje areas there is none available.
A bag of sugar is now being sold in some places for as much as $7,000.
Sources are now saying that there is no sugar available in the hospitals in Berbice.
The Fort Canje Psychiatric Hospital, which is a live-in institution catering for mentally ill patients, was the most affected.  
Residents say it is surprising and disgraceful that sugar, which is manufactured right in this country and is exported in abundance, is not available.
The residents point to some sort of corruption going on with the commodity.  One resident told this publication that, when they do get the commodity, they are restricted to only two pounds.
Another resident from the Upper Corentyne area told this newspaper that, before she could get any sugar to buy, she has to purchase over $1000 worth in groceries.
At major supermarkets, like Stretch de Dollar Supermarket, J’s Supermarket and R. Sookraj and Sons, either no sugar is available or the customers are being limited to two pounds.
One consumer said that after purchasing some $20,000 worth of goods from a supermarket, he was told he could only get two pounds of sugar.
Residents lamented the fact that the Berbice area is the main sugar producing centre, with four factories, but still the people cannot get any sugar.

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