Islamabad: The Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, convened separate meetings with representatives from both the Sugar Mills Association and the Ethanol Manufacturer Association to address significant concerns affecting their industries, reported The Nation.
These discussions, held at the Ministry of Commerce, aimed to foster dialogue and seek practical solutions to the challenges faced by these sectors.
The associations commended the minister’s approach of consulting stakeholders before making any major decisions. Minister Jam Kamal reassured the industrialists of his commitment to advocating for their interests and addressing their concerns to support the local industry while also increasing export volumes to bolster foreign reserves.
During the meetings, the Sugar Mills Association expressed concerns about the expected increase in tariffs for molasses exports. Members highlighted the importance of promoting molasses exports to strengthen foreign reserves and emphasized the need for infrastructure improvements to expand terminal capacity, thus facilitating greater access to international markets.
Meanwhile, representatives from the Ethanol Manufacturer Association emphasized the necessity of implementing long-term policy measures to sustain the domestic ethanol industry. They argued against allowing excessive molasses exports, citing the negative impact on local production. The chairman of the Ethanol Association also called for the importation of raw sugar to sustain sugar manufacturing.
In response to these concerns, Minister Jam Kamal reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised by industry stakeholders.
