Coca-Cola halts productions in Venezuela

quist 13:02 - 24 May 2016

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The BBC reports that the Coco-Cola beverage is the latest addition to a long list of food products in short supply in the country.

Coca-Cola has been forced to halt production in Venezuela due to a severe ensuing sugar shortage.

Coke, in a statement said that suppliers in Venezuela will "temporarily cease operations due to a lack of raw materials".

Empresas Polar, Venezuela’s biggest brewer has also been forced to close its plants due to an acute barley shortage.Coca-Cola would continue producing sugarless drinks such as Coca-Cola Light (Diet Coke), a spokesperson of the company said.

"We are engaging with suppliers, government authorities and our associates to take the necessary actions for a prompt solution," she told the BBC.Sugarcane production has been falling due to price controls and rising production costs, as well as problems in obtaining fertiliser.Venezuela is expected to see a 20,000 tonne-drop in production from 450,000 tonnes in 2015/2016 for the previous 12 months, to 430,000 tonnes of sugarcane in 2016/17.