Sugar prices remain above govt-set rates across Pakistan

The government has failed to bring the sugar prices back to the official rates, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Friday.

The ex-mill price of sugar has been set at Rs 165 per kg, and the retail price at Rs 173 after an agreement between the officials and sugar mill owners on July 15.    

According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS),  the sugar price has come down slightly, settling at Rs180.04 per kg in retail, reflecting a weekly decrease of Rs8 per kg.

However, the prices of sugar remain alarmingly high in various cities.

Karachi leads the list, with sugar being sold at up to Rs200 per kg. 

In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, prices are reportedly as high as Rs185 per kg, while in Lahore, Sialkot, and Gujranwala, sugar costs around Rs180 per kg.

Faisalabad and Peshawar are not far behind, with prices reaching up to Rs190 per kg.

The PBS data also shows that compared to a year ago, sugar prices have seen a steep rise.

In the corresponding period last year, the average price was Rs147.71 per kg, indicating a year-on-year increase of over Rs32.

Additionally, the retail price was set at Rs172 per kg in Islamabad and Rs173 per kg in Punjab.

However, the market rates remain stubbornly higher than these benchmarks.

The experts suggested weak enforcement of pricing regulations and supply chain inefficiencies as key contributors to the ongoing price disparity.