Ministry of Agriculture dismissed sugar storage video as misleading

The Ministry of Agriculture has dismissed as ‘misleading’ a video circulating on social media of operations at the Portvale Sugar Factory.

The video, which shows sugar stored outside the factory, has stirred public concern and anger regarding the quality and handling of locally produced sugar.

In response, the ministry said the sugar is awaiting remelting, a routine and controlled part of quality assurance.

“All sugar designated for remelting is temporarily stored outside the factory for same-day processing. This ensures that only sugar meeting the strict standards required for direct consumption is packaged and distributed.”

The ministry further clarified that sugar may be remelted for a number of legitimate and quality-related reasons.

In some cases, it may contain high levels of moisture due to residual molasses remaining after the centrifugal process.

In other instances, the grain size of the sugar may be inconsistent, with crystals either too small or outside the desired specifications. There may also be the presence of insoluble matter, such as mud or bagasse, which must be removed before the sugar can be approved for distribution.

Additionally, remelting is necessary if there is damage to packaging, particularly the one-tonne bags used during mechanical handling, or if condensation has developed as a result of high storage temperatures, causing sugar “sweating”.  There is also the possibility that sugar may become compacted to the extent that it is too solid to be broken down and repackaged without undergoing reprocessing.

The ministry affirmed that the Portvale Sugar Factory produces only direct consumption sugar, which is required to meet international food safety and quality standards. Any sugar not meeting these specifications is reprocessed, not discarded, to ensure product integrity and reduce waste.

The ministry reassured that the factory maintains rigid quality control protocols and stated that any attempts to misrepresent these processes are irresponsible and harmful. (PR/BT)