ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has forewarned the government and the general public about further hike in the prices of sugar in the country. In a statement, association said the middlemen have increased sugarcane price to Rs300/40-kg and if the middlemen continued to manipulated sugarcane prices, industry will be left with no other choice but to pass on this impact to the consumers.
PSMA spokesman said the illegal practices of middlemen were leading to increase in the cost of sugar production.
The spokesperson asserted that the Punjab government was not taking action against the middlemen to give relief to manufacturers and consumers.
He said the middlemen are buying sugarcane from farmers at low rates and selling to the mills at higher prices.
“The issue was also highlighted by a representative of farmers during a meeting of the Sugar Advisory Board in Islamabad. Following that meeting, the Secretary Industries directed the provincial governments to eliminate the manipulation of middlemen, but they were continuing their illegal practices with impunity,” he added.
The spokesman said sugar mills were not getting a sufficient quantity of sugarcane, which was hampering the crushing operations.
