Somkid plans meeting with sugar industry
Caretaker Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has called a meeting with sugar-cane planters and millers tomorrow to discuss the country's chronic sugar shortage.
In spite of the recent increase of Bt3 per kilogram in prices, Somkid said yesterday that the shortage problem had not yet been solved. Therefore, the government will review the measures after discussing the problem with interested parties. "I have asked the Internal Trade Department to closely watch price movements," Somkid said. "We don't want to see anyone taking the opportunity of the current political vacuum to raise their prices." He said that in spite of the sugar price rise, the Commerce Ministry had not yet approved any price increases by manufacturers of consumer products. Sugar is a major ingredient in a number of consumer products such as soft drinks and ethanol. Internal Trade Department director-general Siripol Yodmuangcharoen said it had told its officials to closely monitor price movements. If consumers find products selling at higher prices, they can phone the department's hotline, 1569, to report them.
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