Sugar less sweet

Punjab govt blames trading corporation for low sugar quality.

LAHORE: The high price of good quality sugar is forcing shoppers to buy imported sugar which they complain is of low quality, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Sugar with big crystal size is available in the market at a price of Rs90 per kilogram (kg) or more.

That with finer crystals is available at Rs72 per kg. The trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) imported sugar from India, Brazil, Thailand and Dubai, which was supplied to the wholesale market at Rs69 per kg.

Retailers are charging Rs72 per kg for the same sugar.

“It’s not like the sugar we had been using before the sugar crisis. It’s less sweet and therefore has to be used in greater quantity,” said one shopper in a utility store in Township.

Shahid Jahangir, another buyer in Johar Town, said that the government failed to control the sugar price and had to import sub-standard sugar. “It’s double negligence on their part, “he added.

Punjab Food Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor told The Express Tribune that the Punjab government was not consulted on the import of sugar. The TCP was responsible for the quality of the imported sugar, he said, adding that the sugar crisis in the province would end soon as the sugar mills start their crushing season.

Asghar Butt, chairman of the Sugar Dealers Association, Lahore, also held the TCP responsible for the problem.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2010.