LAHORE: A General Body meeting of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) was held on Wednesday (11 November 2026), simultaneously in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. Mill owners from across the country participated in the meeting in large numbers.
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In a statement, a PSMA spokesman said that during discussion on the current state of the sugar industry especially the availability of large surplus stocks of sugar in the country, mill owners from Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expressed their concerns that government has yet to allow export of the agreed-upon quota. Even after the approval of export 200,000 tonnes, a surplus of approximately 1.1 million metric tonnes of sugar is available in the country. Therefore, mill owners are unable to start their mills under the current circumstances. The members unanimously stated that, given the existing stock levels, it would not be possible to commence the 2026-27 crushing season before December.
The meeting delegated full authority to the association’s Executive Committee to approach the government at an appropriate level to present the following demands:
1. Permission for the early export of 400,000 metric tons of surplus sugar; and
2. Give the long-awaited deregulation policy for the sugar sector.
The General Body stressed that the release of the deregulation policy is now imperative, as another substantial surplus of sugar is expected to be available by the end of the 2026–27 crushing season. Without timely policy action, the industry will face continued stock accumulation and financial strain.
The General Body further entrusted the Association with the responsibility of playing an active and key role in engaging with Government on all other pending matters.
The Association expressed hope that the government would resolve these issues as soon as possible, in the broader interest of the industry, farmers, and the national economy. It was also decided that sugar mill owners would hold a press conference in Lahore on November 16, 2026, to determine a future course of action. Furthermore, it was proposed that the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association should write a formal letter to the Deputy Prime Minister and seek an appointment for a meeting in order to apprise him of the challenges faced by the industry.
