The Kiryana Merchant Association has rejected the proposed Rs3 per kilogramme profit margin for shopkeepers on sugar and decided to halt sugar sales across Punjab starting February 14.
The association's central leaders will announce the sugar sale boycott at a joint press conference on Feb 14.
They criticised the continuous increase in sugar prices, blaming the government and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for ineffective policies.
Sadiq Pervez Butt, the central president of the Association, told The Express Tribune that the cost for a shopkeeper to purchase a wholesale sugar sack and pack it into individual one-kilogram packets is Rs10 per kg, so a Rs3 profit is unacceptable.
"We have already held negotiations with the Punjab government and the FBR, but after numerous discussions and submitting our demands, there has been no response. As a result, we have decided to boycott sugar sales across Punjab," he maintained.
Due to the government's poor policies, the price of sugar has risen by Rs10 per kg, reaching Rs160 per kg. If the current policies persist, sugar prices will increase further. Additionally, the rise in petroleum prices has led to higher transportation charges, the association's office-bearer adds.
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