Oradea: Sugar quota 35,000 tonnes lower than output

Oradea-based Zaharul (Sugar), part of the German-French group Cristal Diamant, estimates a 15% drop in turnover for this year following the restriction of production in line with the quotas allocated by the Ministry of Agriculture. “Last year, our production stood at approximately 100,000 tonnes, and for this year we have been allocated merely a 65,000-tonne quota. The distribution of this quota was made, based on a report on the companyes production, but data in the report referred to the 1998-2002 period,” Corneliu Pentilescu, general manager of the plant in Oradea, told ZF Transilvania. During that period, according to data available on the site of the Ministry of Finance, the company posted an annual maximum turnover of 26 million euros, with production being lower than reported in the last year. Zaharul Oradea last year recorded a 65 million-euro turnover, compared with 28 million euros in 2005. “The factors that influenced this increase were the decline in sugar retail price, as well as the increase in the volume of sales,” specified Corneliu Pentilescu. In addition to the reduced production, company representatives have also announced that this year export will be dropped as well, an activity, which saw a 35% increase last year against 2005, accounting for about 2.25% of the turnover. The main destination for the exports of the Oradea-based company, was Hungary. Over the last few years, the company invested approximately 2 million euros a year in reducing energy consumption and in modernising production facilities. In addition, the Oradea-based company also invested around 6 million euros in boosting productivity and creating new designs for packaging.