By Aysenur Saglam and Mustafa Calkaya 

ANKARA

The Privatization Administration of Turkey conducted separate auctions to corporatize three sugar factories.  

Turhal, Ilgin, and Erzurum -- the three factories of the Turkish Sugar Refineries Corporation (Turkseker) -- were up for auction. 

Kayseri Seker Fabrikasi Inc. offered the highest bid -- 569 million Turkish liras ($138.6 million) -- for the Turhal Sugar Factory, while its tender started from 471 million Turkish liras ($114.6 million). 

The auction for Ilgin Sugar Factory started from 632 million Turkish liras ($153.8 million) and it received bids of up to 637 million Turkish liras ($155 million) from the commercial firm, Alteks. 

Meanwhile, the Erzurum Sugar Factory's auction, which started at 211.3 million Turkish liras ($51.4 million), was not offered enough by bidders. 

The auctions took place within the scope of privatization in 2000. 

Fourteen factories -- Afyon, Erzurum, Alpullu, Ilgin, Bor, Kastamonu, Burdur, Kirsehir, Corum, Mus, Elbistan, Turhal, Erzincan, and Yozgat -- will also be auctioned.  

Previously, auctions for Bor, Kirsehir, Corum and Yozgat sugar factories were held and they were sold for 1.47 billion Turkish liras (around $357.2 million). 

*Gokhan Ergocun contributed to this story from Ankara