Banning sugar export, allowing imports can hurt industry, farmers: PSMA

The government’s decision of banning sugar export and allowing import will destroy the local industry and this will make the farmers prone to become the victims of the sugar-mafia, industry stakeholders told Daily Times Monday.

They lamented that it seems the decision is aimed to provide relief to Indian farmers at the expense of local industry and farmers.

Industry sources observed that the local stocks are already in surplus and there was no need of importing the commodity. They said that the decision would ultimately help the Indian farmers and the local farmers would be at losing end, as the sugar mills have already not paid the farmers for sugarcane.

“When imported sugar will land in the country, the stocks of sugar mills would not be sold and the millers would cut the payments of sugarcane growers,” the sources said. In the past India sent sugar to Afghanistan through transit trade but majority of stocks were dumped illegally in Pakistan. They said that around 200,000 tonnes of sugar landed in Peshawar market and it pushed the sugar industry towards crisis while the payments to sugarcane growers were delayed and in many cases no payment was made to the growers.

Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) Vice Chairman, Iskandar M Khan said that the government should have allowed import of raw sugar only, as it would have been more beneficial. “The raw sugar is cheaper in the international market while the refined sugar is expensive,” Khan said. Currently refined sugar costs $400 (freightage cost inclusive) while raw sugar is available for $200 only. He said calculating all the taxes one would find that imported sugar will be prices at Rs 30to Rs 31 per Kg. “There would be no price parity of local and imported sugar but it would create problems for the millers, who already have surplus sugar stocks,” he said.

“The refining of raw sugar also creates employment opportunities while having a downward impact on prices thereby providing much-needed relief for the consumers,” Khan said.

He decried that the decision would have negative impacts on the economy. He accused that India will send its “injurious to health” sugar to Pakistan.

He said that the PSMA has assured the government for selling the sugar at Rs 30 per Kg but no one paid any attention.

Farmers Association Pakistan Coordinator, Muhammad Idrees Khokhar, said that the sugarcane payments of farmers were already delayed and the decision would be a major set back for them. “The government, before taking any decision, should take all the stakeholders into confidence,” he demanded.

Source-dailytimes.com.pk