Pakistan Sugar Mills Association seeks permission to export 600,000 tons of additional sugar

Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has requested the federal government to allow the export of 600,000 metric tons of surplus sugar.

In this regard, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has sent a letter to the Federal Minister for National Food Security, stating that the government had promised to export surplus sugar last year, but this has not been implemented yet. It is suggested that permission be given to export the remaining 550,000 metric tons of sugar with the start of the new crushing season.

The letter states that the country can earn about 575 million US dollars from the export of sugar. At the end of the current crushing season, the country had 7.967 million metric tons of sugar reserves, while even after meeting the country’s needs, there is a surplus of 1.181 million metric tons of sugar.

The letter states that better payments to sugarcane farmers have led to the cultivation of better varieties, which is expected to result in a good sugarcane crop and 8 million metric tons of sugar production in the upcoming crushing season.

The Sugar Mills Association took the position that at present the local prices of sugar are less than its cost of production, therefore, the export of surplus sugar should be allowed so that both the industry and the farmers can get relief.