Business
April 17, 2021
LAHORE: A tug-of-war between powerful sugar millers association and Punjab Food Department over the price of the sweetener continues unabatedly as no side is ready to surrender.
On Friday, Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) Punjab showed its concern on the assertion of Cane Commissioner Punjab, a senior official of provincial Food Department regarding price of commodity.
The statement was issued on Cane Commissioner’s contradiction regarding allegation by the sugar body that ex-mill price of Rs80/kg was very low and the sugar mills were facing losses. He made it clear the sugar mills themselves filed average sale price of Rs67/kg with the tax authorities.
LAHORE: Urging the government to allow maximum dealers to lift sugar from the mills, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Punjab zone) laments that the provision stores are not being allowed to sell the sweetener at the market rates.
In a statement issued here on Friday, a spokesperson for the PSMA also challenges the cane commissioner’s assertions about sugar price saying the officer had not been consulted for the price issue. He says that under a court order the mills are providing 150,000 tonnes of sugar at a rate of Rs80 per kg for the lower-income group people. But the retail shops other than those that are supposed to sell the subsidised sugar are not being allowed to sell the commodity at the normal market rate, he says.
Retailers say that they were having intermittent and limited wheat flour supplies for the last four weeks before Ramazan but the supplies totally dried up at the advent of the month of fasting. File
LAHORE: Sugar and wheat flour have gone missing from the shelves of the most of retail shops in the provincial metropolis as the government is focusing on maintaining supplies to its Sasta Ramazan bazaars.
Retailers say that they were having intermittent and limited wheat flour supplies for the last four weeks before Ramazan but the supplies totally dried up at the advent of the month of fasting.
LAHORE: Despite direct monitoring by the prime minister himself and clear instructions of the court for reduction in price of sugar, plus adequate supply during Ramazan, the crisis of short supply.
Punjab forces mills to sell sugar to unregistered persons
FBR spokesperson says district admins cannot waive condition of ST registration
A recent sugar inquiry report has also raised serious questions over supply chain of the sugar sector. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Punjab government has waived the condition of registration of sugar dealers with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and is forcing the mills to do business with unregistered persons that may land the millers in jail.
The orders have been issued by the district administration dealing with the sugar mills. The Jhang district administration has issued the orders to waive off the condition of the sales tax registration for the sugar dealers, according to a letter seen by The Express Tribune.