Moroccan official surveys sugar sector with French sugar group

Morocco's industry, trade, energy and mining minister, Mustapha Mansouri, surveyed at a meeting with executives of the French sugar group "Union SDA" development prospects of the sugar sector in Morocco.

Mansouri said the sector counts presently five companies with 14 industrial plants. Since 1996, he went on, Morocco has started liberalizing the sugar sector with the merging of ten companies into four companies. Some state-owned sugar companies will also be privatized, he said.

The executives of the French group voiced readiness to make Morocco benefit from its experience and know-how and participate in the privatization of sugar companies.

The French group, founded in the 30's, comprises 4,800 cooperatives that produce sugar, glucose and alcohol from sugar beet, sugar cane and cereals.