‘Steps taken for product diversification to make sugar industry profitable’:Daily Sun

 Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu on Friday said the government has taken initiatives for product diversification in the sugar industry to make the sector profitable as per the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The minister made the remarks while inaugurating the sugarcane crushing programme at the Carew & Co (Bd) Ltd at Darshana in Chuadanga. “The government is implementing some proj
ects as part of the initiatives,” said the minister, adding that process is underway to produce sugar from sugar beet at Thakurgaon sugar mill, to generate power from North Bengal Sugar Mills in Natore using the by-products during off-season and to produce 40,000 metric tonnes refined sugar from raw-sugar. Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) will be a profitable organisation after implementing those projects, Amu said. The minister said he will continue providing necessary policy assistance to the sugar industry to help the sector make greater contribution in the socio-economic development of the growing regions of sugarcane. Later, the minister inaugurated the sugarcane crushing programme by throwing sugarcane into the mill. The sugarcane crushing at the mill will continue for the next 90 days. Sugar production target has been set at 8,250 tonnes this year from the factory. Earlier, the minister inaugurated the sugarcane crushing programme at the Mobarakganj Sugar Mills in Jhenidah. While inaugurating the sugarcane crushing, he said the government is moving ahead with a policy to appoint more workers in the state-owned industries and re-open the closed factories. The sugarcane crushing at the Mobarakganj Sugar Mills will continue for 120 days, and the sugar production target from the factory has been set at 9,750 tonnes, said officials.