Categorically dismissing reports of a sugar shortage due to exports as a misleading perception, Federal Minister for National Food Security, Rana Tanveer Hussain asserted on Thursday that Pakistan continued to hold a surplus of the commodity and the government has implemented a system to ensure sugar remains available at officially fixed prices.
“A perception is being created as if there is a major issue regarding the availability, supply, or pricing of sugar,” the minister said while addressing a press conference.
He added that the government has launched a crackdown on hoarders and profiteers, including retailers and even mill owners were being checked, to control manipulation in the market.
Referring to criticism over the government’s initial approval of sugar exports followed by import plans, Rana Tanveer said these narratives ignored historical trends and factual data. Citing records from the past ten years, he explained that sugar exports have traditionally been allowed soon after the crushing season and were occasionally followed by imports—except in one or two years.
The minister explained that the Sugar Advisory Board—which includes federal ministers, secretaries, representatives from all four provinces, and industry stakeholders—approved exports last year on basis of data. At the beginning of the season, Pakistan had an opening stock of 800,000 metric tons.
The crushing season yielded 6.8 million metric tons of sugar, while the country’s annual domestic consumption stood at 6.3 million metric tons—leaving a surplus of 1.3 million metric tons.
“To prevent a supply glut that could harm both farmers and millers, the government had allowed gradual sugar exports,” he said.—APP
