A bitter sweet tale of sugar

Shopkeepers in Rawalpindi sell sugar at Rs90 – Rs105 per kg despite directive by Punjab govt to fix price.

RAWALPINDI: Shopkeepers in Rawalpindi are selling sugar at Rs90 – Rs105 per kilogramme despite a directive by the Punjab government to fix the price at Rs72 per kg. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had decided to fix the price to control sugar’s soaring inflation, but shopkeepers have disregarded his instructions.

The government had threatened to take “stern” action against anyone who overcharged. The Express Tribune learnt that traders were still charging more than Rs72 per kilogramme in different markets of the city including Sadiqabad, Chandni Chowk, Commercial Market, Dhokhe Khabba, Saidpure Road, Gowalpindi, and Liquat Bagh.

Amjad Bashir, a shopkeeper in Dhoke Khabba, said it was not possible for him to sell sugar at 72 per kg because he got the commodity from wholesale markets at the cost of 5000 per 50 kg bag. The cost price for every kg of sugar is Rs100, he said.

The City District Government Rawalpindi had established 15 sale points around the city where sugar was to be sold at a subsidised rate of Rs63 per kg. However, residents complain that the sugar available at these places is short in supply and low in quality.

Imran Tariq, who was standing at Sadiqabad sale point, complained that he had been waiting in line since early morning but the vehicle delivering sugar did not arrive till afternoon. The few people who did manage to purchase the sugar said that it was thin and substandard. “Most of the people standing in line since morning will not be able to get sugar because they bring so little, the government should at least maintain supply at its own sale points,” said Imran.

Uzma, who was standing outside Pirwadahi sale point, said sugar of this quality could be purchased at utility stores for Rs65 per kg.  She said that a difference of Rs2 was hardly a subsidy. “Sugar available at these places is thin and inedible. The government should really focus on quality,” she said.

When contacted, the Rawalpindi District Officer (DO) Revenue Talat Mehmood Gondal claimed that the administration had arrested shopkeepers who were overcharging.  “Our price magistrates pay frequent visits to different markets and arrest any one overcharging,” he said. He claimed that 30 shopkeepers had already been booked.

Gondal said that sugar takes two or three days to arrive from Karachi, but insisted that “there is not a single sale point where sugar is unavailable.”

He explained that improving the quality of sugar was not in his control since the sugar is supplied by Trading Corporation Pakistan (which has allocated 2300 tons of sugar for Rawalpindi city).

Gondal claimed that there were at least 2 kg of sugar available for each person.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2010.