The price of sugar is skyrocketing in Punjab compelling the provincial government to look into the abnormal hike in its price as sugar is being sold at Rs160 and Rs155 per kilo in Faisalabad and Lahore respectively, besides the phenomenon of its non-availability in the market, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

Reportedly, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the odd rise in the price of sugar and summoned an important meeting in this regard. The meeting will deliberate on measures that will bring down and stabilize the sugar prices in the province. The meeting will make important decisions to provide commodity to the people on fixed rates. 

Provincial Industrial Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Punjab chief secretary, provincial advocate general, principal secretary to CM, food secretary, law secretary, agriculture secretary, industries secretary, Lahore division commissioner, Punjab cane commissioner and other concerned officials will participate in the meeting. 

CM Buzdar will be briefed on the current situation. He said that he would not allow the artificial increase in sugar price. He warned that strict legal action would be taken against the profiteers. 

The sugar price in Faisalabad has reached Rs160/kg. It is being sold in the black market. 

The sugar shortage is continued in Lahore as the consumers are buying it for Rs155/kg from different markets. A sugar sack is being sold at Rs7,500. The shop owners are buying sugar at Rs150/kg. Consumers have complained that the commodity is not available in the market. The shop keepers were of the view that by providing subsidy to the sugar mill owners, the government could bring the rate of the commodity down. 

In Multan, the sugar is being sold for Rs150/kg. In market, the price of 100kg sugar bag has exceeded to Rs14,200 registering a hike of Rs17/kg during last two days. In market, its price has jumped from Rs130/kg to Rs150/kg. It has also vanished from the market making it difficult for the consumers to get it. 

In Rahim Yar Khan, its price has touched Rs145-150/kg. The members of RYK district bar lashed out at Imran Khan’s government, lamenting on one side the prime minister announced to provide relief package. While on the other, he hikes the prices of all things, the lawyers added. They said that things were getting out of purchasing power of a common man. They demanded of the government to immediately control inflation. 

In Dera Ghazi Khan, after the announcement of relief package of Prime Minister Imran Khan, sugar has vanished from the market and it has started selling at Rs150 and ‘gurr’ is being sold at Rs140/kg. The tribal people who are very fond of tea, they are forced to have the hot drink without sugar. 

Pakistan Sugar Mills Association Vice Chairman Sikandar Khan said that government was responsible for the hike in sugar price because of its wrong policies. He revealed that they had got a very low stock of the commodity. He stated that it was wrong to make sugar mills responsible for this mess. 

With the increase in sugar price, the prices of other sweet items including rusk, bread, paratha, fruit cake, cake, sweets, candies and biscuits have also been hiked by Rs10. 

The large bread is being sold for Rs130 now instead of Rs120; small bread for Rs70 instead of Rs65; brown bread for Rs90 instead of Rs85; and the pack of 20 parathas is being sold for Rs520 registering an increase of Rs70. 

Sugar prices to be plummeted after start of crushing season: FinMin

On the other hand, Finance Ministry spokesperson Muzammil Mirza said that with the start of the crushing season, the price of sugar would be plummeted. He said that in Punjab, from Nov 15, sugar mills would start working. In Sindh, no sugar mill is working so far, he added. 

The spokesperson has revealed that there was 130,000 tonne sugar available in the country and we need 15,000 tonne sugar daily. He said Sindh was not ready to buy sugar. 

He further stated that it was the job of the food security ministry to check the stock of food in the country. He held that shortage of sugar was made up by importing the commodity. 

He said that the government had planned to install Track and Trace equipment on sugar mills from Nov 1, but the sugar mills got a stay order against it from the court. He was of the view if the government were able to install the Trace and Track gadget on sugar mills, then everyone could tell how much sugar cane was bought and how much sugar was sold. 

 Reporters Imran Aslam, Amir Bhatti, Ashraf Khan, Junaid Riaz, Ibrahim Khan and Ali Musa Raza