Sugar millers on Friday categorically refused to start the crushing season of 2022-23 unless they are given permission to export one million tonnes of surplus sugar lying in their godowns which has to potential to add up to $1 billion to the national exchequer.
At present 1.2 to 1.3 million tonnes of sugar is available, sufficient to meet the national domestic requirement until January 15, 2023.
While addressing a press conference, Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) Central Chairman, Asim Ghani Usman said, “If the government insists on not permitting exports, then the crushing season will commence from mid-January onwards. If the government does not believe in the figures presented by the millers or the cost of sugar production, then it may appoint an independent foreign auditor to let the issue be settled once and for all.”
The PSMA chairman also suggested that “If the government, due to political considerations, wanted to keep some buffer stocks then it could retain 500,000 tonnes of sugar and allow the rest to be exported”.
Responding to a question that Sindh had announced the beginning of its crushing season to be November 29, binding millers to start crushing by November 30, he said, “They are ready to face legal consequences but they cannot sell their produce below the cost of production. It will lead them to default and cause losses not only to the mills but to the sugarcane growers too.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2022.
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