Latest news with #GroceryMerchantsAssociation
Express Tribune
20-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Retailers threaten sugar sale halt amid price hike
As the wholesale price of sugar has witnessed a continuous hike, the Grocery Merchants Association has announced that if the Punjab government and local administration fail to reduce the ex-mill wholesale price of sugar, all grocery retailers across Punjab will stop selling sugar from next week. Sugar prices in the open market have surged by Rs20 per kg, reaching Rs180 per kg. Speaking to The Express Tribune, the association's president, Saleem Parvez Butt, said that the government has fixed the official retail price of sugar at Rs164 per kg, but sugar is now being supplied by mills at a wholesale rate of Rs174 per kg. He explained that additional costs, including loading, unloading, transportation, shopping bags, and wastage, amount to approximately Rs10 per kg. This means that purchasing sugar at Rs174 per kg and selling it at Rs164 per kg is financially unfeasible for retailers. Butt further added that the Rawalpindi Division and Islamabad District do not produce sugar and have no sugar mills of their own. Local dealers procure sugar from other regions where mills are located. With the new budget approaching, if prices remain unchecked, sugar could reach Rs200 per kg. The Central Grocery Association of Punjab has issued a clear warning to both the federal and provincial governments that if they continue to pressure retailers instead of controlling the sugar mill mafia and enforcing the official ex-mill rates, then millions of retailers across Punjab will suspend sugar sales entirely.
Express Tribune
24-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Ramazan bazaar plans hit roadblock
The district administration's negotiations with the traders and the Grocery Merchants Association regarding setting up affordable Ramazan bazaars have 'failed', with the latter refusing to set up special stalls for selling sugar at government rates. According to the association, the district administration and district market committees should set up affordable Ramazan bazaars and sugar mills to sell sugar at the stalls. Following the failure of these negotiations, the government has decided that larger cities, where model bazaars have been established, will now host Ramazan bazaars, while smaller cities without model bazaars will set up facilitation bazaars. However, with only six days remaining until the start of Ramazan, no preparations have been made so far. Rizwan Shaukat, the general secretary of the Central Grocery Merchants Association and Suleman Pervez Butt, its patron, are of the view that setting up affordable Ramazan bazaars is not the responsibility of the traders as it's the duty of the district market committee. Sugar mills and sugar dealers should sell 'subsidised' sugar at [government] stalls, he says and adds traders will focus on their own business during Ramazan. On the other hand, the government has instructed that in model and facilitation bazaars, all stalls will be allocated to wholesale dealers who will sell grocery items and Sehri items at wholesale rates. Negotiations are currently underway between the district administration and wholesale dealers, and their reactions have been mixed. Due to the district administration's poor policies, there will be no subsidised Sehri items available for the public this year. The administration has only decided to increase the number of price magistrates. All tehsildars, deputy tehsildars, revenue officers, and senior patwaris will be given the temporary title of price control magistrates for 30 days, effective from the 1st to the 30th of Ramazan. In Rawalpindi, where Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday bazaars are typically held, daily bazaars will now be allowed from the 1st to the 29th of Ramazan. These bazaars will be set up at Committee Chowk, Allama Iqbal Park Area, Haidri Chowk, Dhoke Hassu, Naya Katariyan, Gulzar Quaid, Morgah, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, Chungi 22, and Chohar Chowk.
Express Tribune
17-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Traders threaten strike over govt-set prices
RAWALPINDI: The Grocery Merchants Association has announced a complete halt in the sale of all essential grocery items with government-mandated prices from April 1. However, in respect of Ramazan and Eidul Fitr, the protest has been postponed until after the festival. The government has refused to accept the association's demands, according to its president, Saleem Parvez Butt. He stated that while officials were presented with their grievances, they appeared powerless to take action. "There has never been a proper mechanism to regulate the prices of essential commodities in Pakistan's 77-year history," Butt said. "Retailers already operate on minimal profit margins. For example, we are given a mere Rs3 profit per kilogram of sugar, while transportation and handling costs amount to Rs12 per kg. This is unsustainable." The association has vowed to escalate protests in April. In the first phase, all government-regulated items, including sugar, will be completely withdrawn from sale. "Let the Deputy Commissioners set up stalls outside their offices to sell these products," Butt added.
