Sugar up 20 sen

Sugar will cost 20 sen more per kilogramme from today, with the new price being RM1.65 in the peninsula and RM1.75 in Sabah and Sarawak.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Zain Mohd Dom, who made the announcement yesterday, said the government would also withdraw its subsidy for white bread from today and remove the commodity from the price-control scheme.

Government Says

i) as the world price of raw sugar has risen sharply, especially since August, from US$0.14 (0.47 sen) to US$0.16 per pound to US$0.27, the government has to raise the price of sugar."

ii) an analysis by the ministry indicated that the impact of the price increase on sugar-based products was minimal, about one sen for canned drinks and a cup of tea.

iii) "For canned drinks of 325ml with an estimated sugar content of 39g and a cup of tea with an estimated sugar content of 40g, the impact on the price of the two drinks is 0.8 sen.

"The highest impact is on condensed milk.

"For the 505g can with an estimated sugar content of 228g, the impact on the price is 4.6 sen, which is less than five sen."

So much for the headlines in today's newspapers and braced ourselves for more "UPs" in the future.