Sugar shortage persists despite new supply

RAWALPINDI:

The ongoing sugar crisis in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has seen only marginal improvement, with market instability persisting.

On Monday, 600 sugar bags were supplied to the Rawalpindi district by local sugar mills at the administration's request. However, the limited stock was rapidly consumed, doing little to alleviate the broader shortage.

With over 18,000 grocery shops operating in the twin cities, the entire shipment was swiftly acquired by wholesale dealers, leaving virtually no supply available for retail consumers. As a result, many grocery outlets across Rawalpindi have exhausted their sugar stock.

In the open market, sugar is currently being sold at Rs210 to Rs220 per kilogram, depending on the area. Despite the severity of the crisis, there remains no coordinated distribution mechanism between sugar mills, brokers, wholesalers, and retail merchants.

High-level meetings held in Lahore and Islamabad on Monday yielded no actionable outcomes.

The wholesale supply of sugar has been suspended for the past 13 days, causing stockouts at most retail stores. Those few shops still holding stock are reportedly selling at Rs210 per kg in central areas and up to Rs220 per kg in surrounding localities.