Not so sweet news for bakers and consumers

PETALING JAYA: Makers of baked goods, desserts and confectioneries are cutting down their production due to a shortage of sugar and an increase in the product’s price at local grocery stores.

Parvati Chandiran, 45, who runs a home-based business selling traditional Indian sweet delicacies for the approaching Deepavali, said she had to restrict the number of orders she receives from clients due to the sugar scarcity and its high price.

“Nowadays, it is very hard to buy sugar in bulk at a wholesale price and I cannot even locate such promotional sales anywhere, even in my local grocery store.

“Because of that, I was forced to turn down more than six customers, which is a significant loss for me because one customer does not just order one case of sweets, they usually order three to four cases.

“It is really tough to forgo the profits that could have benefited my family and I more during the Deepavali celebrations,” she added.

Some echoed Parvati’s concerns about not being able to buy sugar in bulk at their regular grocery stores, adding that there were significantly fewer sugar packets available at the shops.

“I’m not sure why but shelves with sugar at supermarkets appear to be half-full these days, and I think they reduced the amount of sugar in the packets, too, because they also seem a little lighter,” said Tasya Assifa, a 22-year-old public relations professional.

Another shopper who stopped by her neighbourhood grocery shop to purchase snacks said she thinks the price of sugar is slightly higher nowadays.

“I’m quite certain that they have increased the price of sugar because it did not cost this much before.

“My family and I use sugar in our meals on a day-to-day basis and if the price continues to increase, it will be very difficult for many to manage,” said Jivashnee Raja Goval, who claims to have a sweet tooth.

Online bakery owner Farhah Saifuddin, 34, said that along with sugar, many baking ingredients have risen in price in the last year.

“Unfortunately, due to the rising costs of nearly everything, we decided to increase the prices of our goods a couple of months ago,” said the founder of the well-known bakery on social media, Bakerrinas.

Farhah further said that she had to raise the prices of her pastries and confectioneries to keep her business afloat and prevent losses.

“If the costs of essential ingredients like sugar continue to increase, we will be compelled to raise the prices of our products to a level that our customers may perceive as too expensive for them.

“It’s about time the government take a closer look at issues like these that are impeding the growth of many small businesses around the country,” she added.