logo
SAB okays 0.5 MT import of sugar

SAB okays 0.5 MT import of sugar

ISLAMABAD: The Sugar Advisory Board (SAB) on Monday okayed the import of 0.5 million tons of sugar after the government exported the commodity in a large quantity in the current financial year, which led to a sharp increase in domestic sugar prices.
The meeting of the SAB, which met with Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, approved the import of 0.5 million of sugar to control rising prices and ensure a consistent supply of the commodity in the market.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the country exported 765,734 metric tons of sugar between July and May this fiscal year, earning Rs114 billion. However, as expected following this export domestic sugar prices rose sharply and hit a record Rs190 per kg.
Import of 250,000MT raw sugar: policy to be submitted to Cabinet
During the meeting, the minister said that the decision to import sugar had become unavoidable due to a nationwide shortfall in supply and sharp price hikes. He attributed the recent surge in sugar prices largely to unjustified price increases by sugar mill owners.
The minister emphasised that all formalities regarding the import will be completed within the next few days, and the imported sugar will be brought into the market at the earliest to provide relief to consumers.
To tackle the crisis, the government has already initiated urgent measures and decided to implement strict monitoring of both sugar supply and pricing across the country. 'The situation demands immediate action. Stabilising sugar prices and ensuring its availability is the government's top priority,' said the minister.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Call for lifting export shackles on fruits and veggies
Call for lifting export shackles on fruits and veggies

Express Tribune

time2 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Call for lifting export shackles on fruits and veggies

Citing the dire straits in which the agriculture sector has become plunged owing to reduced yield, lower crop prices and higher cost of cultivation, Sindh's farmers have demanded complete freedom to export their produce. The Sindh Abadgar Board, an organisation striving for rights of agriculturists, on Sunday deplored that the existing government policies are putting the agro economy in a slump. "The so-called deregulation policy started with wheat in March, 2024, after which the government didn't procure about seven million tons of wheat, creating a domino effect which allowed middlemen to exploit farmers," reads a statement issued after a meeting of the board in Hyderabad, which was presided by Mehmood Nawaz Shah. The growers recalled that such a sudden stepping back by the government crashed the wheat price from Rs3,800 per maund in the open market to Rs2,200 per maund. "And this occurred against the backdrop of Rs3,450 per maund cost of production." The colossal loss in the previous harvest season has been estimated at around Rs900 billion. According to the farmers, not only the same story was repeated in the wheat harvest season in 2025, the sugarcane sector also followed suit as the growers were made to sell their produce at a lower price while the refined sugar is now being sold at exorbitant rates to the public. The meeting lamented that the government has been spending precious foreign exchange to import agricultural commodities and that too when the time of harvesting the same crops approached closer. "This has resulted in bleeding of the agricultural economy. Consequently, the uptake of fertilizers have reduced, the tractor sales have reduced, the price of diesel and pesticides continues to increase and with all this threat of climate change and extreme events looms large." Recommendations The SAB strongly called for unfettering exports of vegetables and fruits so that the farmers can get prices for their produce on the basis of international markets. They also demanded serious efforts to improve quality of seeds, to control inflationary prices of the inputs, and measures to help farmers improve per acre yields. The farmers pointed out that the agricultural financing through the banks does not even meet 50% of the sector's requirement. They suggested that if the government is sincere in increasing financing options for the sector, the current fixed asset collateral based financing ought to be replaced with the cash flow and revenue based agriculture financing. Addressing the endemic problem of power outages and load shedding, ensuring timely supply of irrigation water, among other measures, were also demanded. Dr Bashir Nizamani, Dr Ali Reza Mirjat, Syed Nadeem Shah, Mohammed Aslam Mari and other representatives of the growers attended the meeting.

Sugar import plan raises many eyebrows
Sugar import plan raises many eyebrows

Express Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Sugar import plan raises many eyebrows

Listen to article Last year, sugar mills had submitted sugar stock figures to the federal government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had been very happy with these stock figures. Based on the stock figures, the government had allowed the export of sugar which was linked with Rs2 per kg increase in retail price. It was agreed that sugar export would be halted if the retail prices went up from the benchmark price. But that price increased from the ex-mill price of Rs141 per kg to Rs200 per kg. Now, a game of imports has started with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research announcing on Saturday that the government is going to import 0.2 million tons of sugar to intervene to overcome sugar prices hike. The traders and sugar mill owners are both beneficiaries in the dirty game of price hike. First, the government allowed the sugar mills to pocket millions of dollars by exporting sugar and even raised prices in the domestic market. Now, the government is betting on the sugar import rather than taking strict action against the mills which had given an understanding that they would not increase the prices of the sweetener. The Ministry of National Food Security and Research in a statement announced the government's decision to import 200,000 tons of sugar. A spokesperson said the final order for sugar import has been placed and the import of sugar has entered the final stage after the opening of the tender. He said sugar is being imported from China. "The first shipment of imported sugar will reach Pakistan in early September 2025," the spokesperson said, adding that the aim of the import is to ensure the availability of sugar in the market and maintain price balance. He added that the relevant committee formed by the government also successfully obtained a discount at the time of purchase in the international market. The arrival of imported sugar, he said, will maintain price balance in the local market and directly benefit consumers. Federal Minister for Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain recently claimed during a press conference that sugar is available in abundant quantities and its price is within the reach of the common man. He ruled out the claims that sugar was first exported and is now being imported to allow a mafia to mint money. "Except for one or two years, sugar has historically been exported in large quantities and then imported to meet demands. The sugar issue emerges seasonally like monsoon frogs," he remarked. He said the Sugar Advisory Board includes federal ministers, representatives from all four provinces, and relevant stakeholders. The government allowed sugar export in a phased manner. At the time when the export request was made, the global market price of sugar was $750 per ton. Hussain also claimed that there is a difference of Rs8 to Rs10 per kg between ex-mill and retail prices. After the export, he said, the local price of sugar dropped to Rs119 per kg. He said the government has maintained a buffer stock of 500,000 tons. Despite an increase in the cultivated area, sugar production fell. "As soon as we learned about the shortfall, the prime minister halted the remaining sugar export and 40,000 tons of sugar was not exported," he added.

Operation against sugar profiteers intensified
Operation against sugar profiteers intensified

Business Recorder

time3 days ago

  • Business Recorder

Operation against sugar profiteers intensified

LAHORE: The Lahore district administration on Saturday intensified its crackdown on sugar profiteers, ensuring the essential commodity is available at regulated prices for the city's residents. According to the administration, the Assistant Commissioners, SDOs from the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA), and Price Control Magistrates have been actively monitoring markets to enforce compliance with fixed rates. The administration's zero-tolerance policy has led to significant actions, including fines imposed on multiple shopkeepers and the sealing of one shop found selling sugar at Rs190 per kg, with a case registered against its owner. To address complaints of sugar shortages in Baghbanpura, the administration swiftly supplied 36 tonnes of sugar to stabilise availability. Commenting on the crackdown, Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza said that sugar would be sold at Rs173 per kg across Lahore, reinforcing the administration's commitment to preventing exploitation through inflated prices. 'The ongoing crackdown targets profiteers and hoarders, with strict penalties for violations. To facilitate reporting, the administration has established a dedicated control room number (0307-0002345) and encouraged residents to use social media platforms to lodge complaints about overpricing,' he added. He made it clear that exploitation under the guise of business will not be tolerated, and the administration is working tirelessly to ensure the availability of essential goods at fair prices. 'These efforts reflect the administration's dedication to protecting Lahore's residents from unfair trade practices, fostering a stable and equitable market environment through proactive enforcement and vigilant oversight,' he added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store