The Punjab government has initiated a decisive crackdown on sugar mills that have failed to begin the crushing season on time, a move aimed at stabilising market supply and safeguarding the interests of sugarcane farmers.
According to the Cane Commissioner Punjab, any mill that does not start crushing from today will be fined Rs1 million per day. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to prevent artificial shortages and curb the rising sugar prices already affecting major markets.
27 Mills Operational, 14 Under Scrutiny
Out of all the sugar mills in Punjab, 27 have already begun crushing, while 14 mills remain non-operational. Inspection teams will visit the remaining mills, and strict action will be taken against those failing to comply with the provincial directives.
Authorities have assured that timely payments to sugarcane farmers will be enforced throughout the season. Dedicated monitoring teams have been deployed across the province to track crushing activities, production levels and compliance with government regulations.
Sugar prices have already surged due to the delays. In Faisalabad, retail rates have crossed Rs200 per kilogram, raising concerns among consumers. Officials, however, expect prices to ease once fresh sugar starts arriving in the market following the commencement of crushing at all mills.
Federal Government Moves Toward Complete Deregulation
In a related development, the federal government is moving toward full deregulation of the sugar sector. A special committee led by Federal Minister Owais Leghari has formulated recommendations that will soon be submitted to the Prime Minister.
Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain stated that the sector will be deregulated “end to end,” including the removal of import and export quotas. He also assured that even if the crushing season extends into the first week of December, Pakistan will still have adequate sugar reserves to meet domestic demand.
