The Malaysian Bakery, Biscuit, Confectionery, Mee and Kuay Teow Merchants Association stated that the expected increase in 50kg sugar packs used in bakeries may cause products sold in bakeries to rise in price.

According to the association, the current price of sugar for a 50kg pack is RM160 and if, as anticipated, there is a 20 percent increase in the price of sugar, it will cost RM200 which bakeries will have to pass on to consumers.

The only way to get around a steep increase in price is to use less sugar in products which will make the rise in production costs minimal. Products expected to be affected are pastries, sweets, confectioneries, cakes, bread, cookies, muffins and pies.

While the price increase of a 50kg pack of sugar is yet to be confirmed, certain sources contacted say the increase may even be more than 20 percent but most businesses expected to be affected are not jumping the gun.

Businesses affected by any increase in the price of sugar are at present adopting a wait and see attitude but sundry shop owners opined that it only affected the commercial sector while the price of government subsidised sugar is expected not to change.

Industry sources stated, however, that the price of 1kg packs of sugar sold to consumers is RM2.85 each and since the price will be unaffected the increase in commercial sugar may cause a rush to buy subsidised sugar.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE