Plan to import 0.7m ton sugar

ISLAMABAD - Peoples miseries regarding the price of sugar and its availability are likely to continue in the coming months, as the country will face 0.7 million tonnes shortage of the commodity in the next season, TheNation learnt.
According to sources, due to lesser production of sugarcane, the govt expects shortage of 0.7m tonnes refined sugar in the next season. Therefore, the government is considering importing the commodity to fill up the demand-supply gap during the coming year, the sources added.
In this connection, PM Yousuf Raza Gilani would soon chair a meeting to discuss and approve sugar policy for the next year. The meeting would also decide on the quantity of sugar to be imported to overcome the expected shortage, the sources said. In new sugar policy, the govt might impose ban on the export of raw sugar to Afghanistan in order to make sure availability of the commodity in the county. It is worth mentioning here that sugar is smuggled to Afghanistan every year that creates shortage in the country, especially in NWFP and Balochistan.
It is no more a secret that the present artificial crisis of sugar has emerged due to governments reluctance to timely allow import of raw sugar and hastily taken measures to curb hoarding of the commodity. The govt had to face a loss of Rs. 800m besides earning bad name.
Meanwhile, Standing Committee of National Assembly on Commerce once in a meeting also blamed different ministries and mills associations for creating sugar crisis in the country by not importing the commodity in time. According to the chairman of committee, the crisis was the result of connivance among ministries of commerce, industries & production and Sugar Mills Association. According to the sources, the government is expected to decide on import of raw sugar right with the commencement of the crushing season to avoid shortage of the commodity in future.
Besides causing huge loss to the government, the masses have also suffered a lot due to unavailability of sugar in the market. They have to pay up to Rs. 75 for one kilogram sugar in some parts of the country. Similarly, sugar is not available even at utility stores.