12-02-2025
Sugar Refiners in Middle East See Lower Output on Weak Margins
Sugar refineries in the Middle East are running below capacity because of lower profitability, according to the head of Dubai's Al Khaleej Sugar Co., owner of the world's largest port-based sugar refinery.
A lower white premium, the difference between the price of raw and refined sugar, has pushed some refiners to cut production, the firm's managing director Jamal Al Ghurair said in an interview on the sidelines of the Dubai Sugar Conference. The premium which serves as a proxy for the cost of refining raw sugar, until recently hovered around or under $90 a ton, below the $100 level deemed profitable.
