Refinery unable to meet sugar demand

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33452, 6 February 1974, Page 12

Refinery unable to meet sugar demand

C\ew Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. February 5. The New Zealand Sugar Company would allocate supplies of sugar because it had been unable to meet the demand, the managing director (Mr W. P. Ralph) said today.

Hot, dry weather■ during the summer had ' created an unusually ; high demand from soft- , drink, beer, and ice- : cream manufacturers, he said. This demand, and labour shortages and an overtime ban at the Chelsea refinery, had caused the company’s stocks of refined sugar to be much lower than normal. To ensure that the avail-

able supplies of sugar were distributed as fairly as possible the company had decided to allocate supplies, and to advise customers immediately of the amount they would be allowed. Supplies of refined sugar ■to shops would definitely be affected, but Mr Ralph thought no-one would have to go without. “There should not be any actual shortage, it is just that it will be available at a slower rate,” he said.

There was no lack of raw sugar in the country, he said. The main reason for the present move was the overtime ban by the employees. The high summer demand 'could have been met if the I men had been prepared to -work extra hours, he said. Negotiations were being .held with the unions for a I productivity payment,’but so , far they had not accepted the 'company’s proposals. More 'talks would be held within a week, and he hoped the I situation would be resolved i then. A spokesman for the AuckI land Sugar Workers Union jsaid no statement could be I made until a full meeting of j the union executive had been i held.