Cairo, Sept 23 - Egypt's state-owned Nubariya Sugar Company will produce 140,000 tonnes of refined sugar in the 2009/2010 season up from 40,000 tonnes the previous year, Al Ahram newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The increase in production will help narrow the supply gap in Egypt by 20 percent, the paper said. The increase would come from operating the plant at full capacity, the daily added.
"The increase in beet sugar plantations to 63,000 feddans (26,460 hectares) in the new season is behind the expected increase," Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Hassan was quoted as saying.
The new figure represents a tripling of Egypt's production of 20,000 feddans in the 2008/2009 season.
Officials from Nubariya Sugar were not immediately available for comment.
Hassan also said plans for a second line of production were in place to further hike capacity to 300,000 tonnes a year.
Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid has said Egypt is concerned by a rise in world sugar prices, adding they could have an impact on inflation in the most populous Arab country.