Sugar millers say starting crushing early will not be feasible

LAHORE: Sugar millers have claimed that starting the crushing season early will not be feasible for the industry in the presence of sugar stocks in the mills and arrival of imported sugar in the market.

Millers in a meeting with the Cane Commissioner Punjab also claimed that they have already intimated to the government that sufficient stocks of sugar are available in the country till 15th November, 2025 but despite this assurance, the government accepted the tenders for import of 0.35 MMT sugar for which duties and taxes have been waived off.

Cane Commissioner Punjab Amjad Hafeez was conveyed this reservation of the millers in a meeting with Pakistan Sugar Mills Association Secretary General, said a spokesman of the Association.

PSMA told Cane Commissioner that sugar industry has always cooperated with the government in the larger national interest however, sale of sugar in the market has been badly affected due to ban on inter-provincial and inter-district movement of sugar and closure of FBR portal.

The secretary general said that like other crops, floods and torrential rains have badly affected sugarcane crop as well and it will take time for sugarcane crop to fully mature.

He expressed concern that if such restrictions in free movement of sugar continue, then it will not only affect the industry but also the growers. The secretary general demanded the government to take stock of this grave situation and steer the country out of this crisis jointly with the sugar industry.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025