ISLAMABAD: The ongoing increase in sugar price, ie, from Rs6,150 per 50 kg bag to Rs7,550 per bag shows that the Ministry of Industries and Production and other relevant departments have silently allowed sugar millers to increase the prices to a certain level.
The sugar prices are on the up since November as within past three months it has witnessed an increase of Rs1,400 per 50 kg bag or Rs28 per kg.
In retail market, sugar price has gone up from Rs130 per kg to Rs160 which according to traders is further going up as there is no indication from the administration, stockists and other traders of making any effort to bring it down.
However, the federal government has in close collaboration with sugar millers decided to supply sugar during Ramadan to the masses at Rs130 per kg, for which, thousands of stalls will be set up, the decision was reached here on Friday during the meeting of the Sugar Advisory Board (SAB).
The meeting was chaired by the Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain, and was also attended by the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA).
The meeting discussed the availability of sugar, price stability, and public relief measures during the holy month of Ramadan. The board decided that countrywide sugar stalls will be set up at the municipal level, where sugar will be available at the fixed rate of Rs130 per kg to facilitate the public.
As per the decision, the chief secretaries of all the provinces will ensure the immediate establishment of sugar stalls in their respective cities.
As per plan, 230 stalls will be set up in Sindh, 405 selling points in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and hundreds of stalls in Punjab and Balochistan as per the requirements provided by the local administration.
This initiative aims to ensure the availability of affordable sugar to the common citizens and prevent hoarding and price manipulation. The provincial governments will oversee security, cleanliness, and crowd management at these stalls.
Rana Tanveer directed that the uninterrupted supply of sugar should be ensured until the 27th of Ramadan, and a special committee will be formed to resolve any potential issues promptly.
He emphasised that setting up sugar stalls at the municipal level is meant to directly benefit the common man, and the government will closely monitor the implementation of this initiative to ensure its effectiveness.
Additionally, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and provincial governments have been instructed to fully cooperate in this initiative so that the sugar supply chain remains unaffected and the lower-income population can easily access sugar during Ramazan.
The governments of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will take special security measures to ensure the smooth transportation and distribution of sugar to these stalls.
The federal government remains committed to stabilising sugar prices and providing maximum relief to the public during the holy month of Ramadan.
According to PSMA officials, last year sugarcane price was fixed at Rs350 per 40kg which in 2023-24 reached Rs450 per 40kg and the production cost of sugar at present stands at Rs170 per kg while in the retail market, refined sugar was available in the range of Rs150 per kg which is the lowest price in the world.
The PSMA officials have argued that the government can reduce sugar price for general consumers by at least Rs25 per kg, if it was removing the general sales tax of 18 percent.
ISLAMABAD: The ongoing increase in sugar price, ie, from Rs6,150 per 50 kg bag to Rs7,550 per bag shows that the Ministry of Industries and Production and other relevant departments have silently allowed sugar millers to increase the prices to a certain level.
The sugar prices are on the up since November as within past three months it has witnessed an increase of Rs1,400 per 50 kg bag or Rs28 per kg.
In retail market, sugar price has gone up from Rs130 per kg to Rs160 which according to traders is further going up as there is no indication from the administration, stockists and other traders of making any effort to bring it down.
However, the federal government has in close collaboration with sugar millers decided to supply sugar during Ramadan to the masses at Rs130 per kg, for which, thousands of stalls will be set up, the decision was reached here on Friday during the meeting of the Sugar Advisory Board (SAB).
The meeting was chaired by the Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain, and was also attended by the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA).
The meeting discussed the availability of sugar, price stability, and public relief measures during the holy month of Ramadan. The board decided that countrywide sugar stalls will be set up at the municipal level, where sugar will be available at the fixed rate of Rs130 per kg to facilitate the public.
As per the decision, the chief secretaries of all the provinces will ensure the immediate establishment of sugar stalls in their respective cities.
As per plan, 230 stalls will be set up in Sindh, 405 selling points in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and hundreds of stalls in Punjab and Balochistan as per the requirements provided by the local administration.
This initiative aims to ensure the availability of affordable sugar to the common citizens and prevent hoarding and price manipulation. The provincial governments will oversee security, cleanliness, and crowd management at these stalls.
Rana Tanveer directed that the uninterrupted supply of sugar should be ensured until the 27th of Ramadan, and a special committee will be formed to resolve any potential issues promptly.
He emphasised that setting up sugar stalls at the municipal level is meant to directly benefit the common man, and the government will closely monitor the implementation of this initiative to ensure its effectiveness.
Additionally, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and provincial governments have been instructed to fully cooperate in this initiative so that the sugar supply chain remains unaffected and the lower-income population can easily access sugar during Ramazan.
The governments of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will take special security measures to ensure the smooth transportation and distribution of sugar to these stalls.
The federal government remains committed to stabilising sugar prices and providing maximum relief to the public during the holy month of Ramadan.
According to PSMA officials, last year sugarcane price was fixed at Rs350 per 40kg which in 2023-24 reached Rs450 per 40kg and the production cost of sugar at present stands at Rs170 per kg while in the retail market, refined sugar was available in the range of Rs150 per kg which is the lowest price in the world.
The PSMA officials have argued that the government can reduce sugar price for general consumers by at least Rs25 per kg, if it was removing the general sales tax of 18 percent.
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