ISLAMABAD: Sugar Advisory Board has reportedly declined to allow export of sugar during its meeting held here on Thursday under the chair of Federal Ministers for National Food Security and Research Tariq Cheema.
According to Chairman Pakistan Sugar Mills Association Asim Usman, SAB expressed indifference to allow the export.
The chairman, addressing a press conference along with big stalwarts of sugar industry including former Chairman Zaka Ashraf, Chairman Sindh Zone Ahmed Ibrahim, former Chairman Aslam Farooq, former Chairman Sindh Zahid Zakaria, and Chaudhry Waheed requested the government to allow export of sugar because there is excess stock of sugar available in the country.
He said that Pakistan can get foreign exchange of $2 billion by exporting 1 million tons of sugar this year and 1 million tons next year and this will also help in paying dues of sugarcane farmers.
We invited the government and the advisory board to verify the sugar stock data themselves adding that he said that FBR also has the complete statistics and officials can review how much sugar is being consumed monthly.
He also said that we do not demand subsidy on sugar because we have 1.3 million tonnes of sugar worth of Rs100 billion in stock till November 30, 2022
Sugar is the only item whose price has not increased and India has also given permission to export 5 million tons of sugar. This will reduce the price of sugar in the world market and we will lose an opportunity, he added.
Former Chairman Zaka Ashraf said that one month is left for the crushing season to start. If the existing stock is not used till the next season, where will the new stock be kept and How will farmers be paid, he questioned.
Chaudhry Waheed said that the Sugar Advisory Board is aware of all the matters and he requested to stop politicizing on sugar.
Chairman of Sindh Zone Ahmed Ibrahim said that industry every year pays Rs 500 billion to Rs 600 billion to farmers on sugarcane and if sugar cannot be exported then the farmer will not be able to cultivate sugarcane.
“We have not threatened any strike but we say that if this situation continues, the sugar mills will not be able to run, he added. Mohammad Aslam Farooq said that the price of sugar is fixed and we are selling at a loss. If there is no surplus of sugar, its price will automatically increase.
Asim Usman said that he has invited the government to allow the export of sugar in installments if it wants to keep a buffer stock, 100 million tons of sugar can be exported in a month.
Zahid Zakaria said that if the farmer does not get the price of sugarcane, then he will not be able to cultivate sugarcane.
In response to a question, the chairman of the association said that there was not anything proven against us in the competitive commission of Pakistan.
There was only controversy over subsidy and it was a political inquiry, he claimed.
