EC SUGAR TENDER SEEN AS FURTHER CONCESSION

  The rebates granted at yesterday's EC
  sugar tender represent a further concession to producers'
  complaints that they are losing money on exports outside the
  bloc, trade sources said.
      They said the maximum rebate of 45.678 European currency
  Units (Ecus) per 100 kilos was 0.87 Ecus below what producers
  claim is needed to obtain the equivalent price to that offered
  for sales into intervention.
      The rebate at last week's tender was 1.3 Ecus short of the
  level producers thought necessary and that of the previous week
  was 2.5 Ecus below this level.
      But the sources said producers who have offered a total of
  854,000 tonnes of sugar into intervention in an apparent
  attempt to persuade the Commission to set higher maximum
  rebates have given no formal indication to the Commission that
  they intend to withdraw these offers.
      The French and German operators involved would be able to
  withdraw the offers up to five weeks after April 1 when the
  sugar will officially enter intervention stores.
      The five-week period is the normal delay between sugar
  going into intervention and payment being made for it.
      EC officials have said that if the Commission has to buy
  the sugar, it is determined immediately to resell it, a move
  which could drive down market prices further.
  

