Govt 'agrees' at 'discount' sugar price of Rs50/kg, asks provinces to free hoarders

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD: With the consent of Sugar Millers, the government has set the one-kilogram ex mill sugar price at Rs48 to be sold across Balochistan province and Rs49.75 to be sold across NWFP province, Geo news reported on Tuesday.

The Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mian Manzoor Watto simply neglected the questions posed by journalists over the sugar crisis following his talks with a delegation of Sugar Mills Association (SMA) here late on Tuesday.

Briefing media after five-hour long dialogue with a delegation representing Sugar Mills Association (SMA), the Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mian Manzoor Watto announced that the dialogue with SMA delegation has reached the success and the SMA will be selling sugar at inflated prices.

He termed the sudden surge in sugar prices in local market being the result of inflation in sugar prices in international markets, appealing all provincial governments to halt series of crackdowns on sugar mills their godowns and against sugar hoarders so that sugar could be sold to Utility Stores.

He also issued appeal for release and closure of cases registered against sugar horders, sugar dealers and sugar mill owners and for their immediate release in order for availability of sugar in market.

He announced withdrawal of the letters written to provincial governments from his ministry, which dictated governments to kick off crackdown on sugar mill owners and hoarders.

Earlier, during meeting with delegation of SMA, Mansoor Watto assured Sugar Mills Owners (SMOs) of suspension of ongoing crackdown on sugar hoarders and SMOs from provincial governments, allowing them to import 0.3million raw sugar from international market and make it possible the supply of sugar in local market after crushing it.

When asked during media briefing about the sudden surge in sugar prices from Rs40 to Rs60 per kilogram within two months in local market, so he simply disregarded the question.

He also remained unconcerned when asked many a time about the presence of local sugar yield in country and what need is there to link local sugar prices with international market despite the ban on sugar import.

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