The bitter truth: Use less sugar

The PPP government has failed to control sugar prices - its time for us, the consumers to work to end this crisis.

Liaquat Ali November 10, 2010
Sugar has gone from the once dictatorial price of Rs27 per kg to a much awaited democracy induced price of up to Rs125 per kg. Rates in large cities of Lahore and Karachi are up to Rs105 per kg.

It is said that sugar mill owners and wholesalers have become millionaires many times over. Rumour has it that sugar prices will further increase to Rs150 per kg during the Eidul Adha festivities.

I remember the era of the 1970s in Karachi when sugar was not even available in the market. One needed ration cards to get sugar and some other staple food items. Interestingly, the same political party ruled the country at that time as well.

I don’t want to get into why the Peoples Party of Pakistan (PPP) is high on slogans and low on delivery. However, I do wonder why people have to use sugar?

If people in Pakistan are really serious about price control, perhaps they will have to learn self-discipline.

This is how: Cut down on the use of tea and start drinking warm water like the Chinese!

If you want to flavour your hot water, boil it with cinnamon, cardamom, clove or a range of other flavoured herbs.

What is this going to do?

Firstly, such drinks will be healthier than the overly-sweet and milky tea that most people drink in Pakistan. Secondly, the prices of sugar, milk and tea would go down drastically.

The next thing to do is to cut down on sweets as a whole. That would bring down the prices for sweets too. The saved money can then be used for healthier food items.

This democracy-loving nation needs to create awareness about sugar alternatives - if they want life to stay sweet!
WRITTEN BY:
Liaquat Ali A real-estate investor who lives in Fairfield, Connecticut. He graduated from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (20)

R. Qureishi | 13 years ago | Reply Don't mix price hike and democracy. If you wanna do that, then look at the prices in 1977 and look at where Zia let them in 1988. Again, prices of 1999 and of 2008 cannot be compared. No Martial can reverse the price hike. Democracy is another issue and we need more of that. We don't want another dictator to come in and waste our ten years. Before going away, these dictators make politicians 'zero meter' through NRO (the same politicians they came in to rid us of!!!!)
Amna | 13 years ago | Reply One of the relatives of our maid had stopped giving her children milk, as she could not afford it anymore. She started giving them chini wala pani instead. That is probably not a wise decision but my point of writing this is that not everyone can simple stop buying sugar. What can people buy if not sugar? it was one of the cheapest things people could buy
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