Lahore: The Punjab Sugarcane Growers Association (PSGA) and the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Punjab Zone) have come together to ask the Prime Minister of Pakistan to allow the early export of extra sugar. They want to seize the opportunity to earn valuable foreign currency. They also want the government to create a permanent plan for sugar export.
This request was made during a meeting at the PSMA office where both organisations discussed the issues faced by sugarcane growers. According to PSMA officials, Rana Iftikhar Muhammad, the chairman of the growers’ association, acknowledged that making white sugar has become more expensive due to high input costs.
He said that during the 2022-23 crushing season, sugarcane growers received a minimum support price of Rs. 300 per ton. In the following season, the rate increased to Rs. 400 per ton in Punjab and Rs. 425 in Sindh, rising to Rs. 500 per ton. This increase benefited farmers, and exporting surplus sugar could help resolve tensions between farmers and sugar mills.
PSMA officials noted that sugar prices have fallen, and they are still waiting for permission to export extra sugar. However, the delay is causing international sugar prices to decrease, affecting the country’s foreign currency reserves.
Rana Iftikhar Muhammad expressed concern that farmers faced losses in other crops like wheat, cotton, and maize, leading them to focus more on sugarcane cultivation. It’s expected that farmers will increase sugarcane cultivation by about 30%, resulting in additional sugar production next season, and consequently, more surplus sugar.
