By Our Correspondent
LAHORE, October 14, 2025 — The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has strongly criticized the government’s decision to import sugar despite the country having sufficient stocks, warning that such ill-timed interventions have stalled the industry and risk disrupting the upcoming crushing season 2025–26.
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The remarks came during a high-level meeting chaired by Dr. Kiran Khurshid, Secretary, Department of Price Control and Commodities, held in Lahore. The session was attended by representatives of farmers’ associations, the Agriculture Department, the Additional Cane Commissioner, the Meteorological Department, PSMA officials, and experts from the Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad. The meeting was convened to review preparations for the start of the crushing season.
PSMA Chairman Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf and other industry representatives informed the meeting that the sugar industry had repeatedly advised the government not to import sugar, as ample stocks were available in the country until November 18. “There was absolutely no need for importing sugar,” they stressed, “and had the government refrained from doing so, the mills were fully ready to begin crushing from November 1.”
However, they noted, the government went ahead and imported 300,000 metric tons of sugar — a move that has created serious distortions in the domestic market. “The imported sugar has triggered chaos in the FBR’s online portal system,” the PSMA said, adding that the portal is being “opened and closed at random,” which has effectively halted the supply of sugar from mills to the market.
They lamented that despite repeated requests, the authorities have ignored the industry’s appeals to ensure smooth portal operations, resulting in mounting financial losses.
The PSMA also cautioned that due to the ongoing hot weather, the sugarcane crop currently contains low sucrose levels and is not yet suitable for crushing. “Harvesting at this stage would be premature,” they stated, noting that the Cane Act itself allows the crushing season to begin as late as November 30.
Farmer representatives, meanwhile, urged the government to adopt a balanced approach that safeguards farmers’ livelihoods. “Agriculture is already on the brink of collapse,” they warned. “Fertilizer prices have skyrocketed, and the cost of sugarcane production is now out of control.” They demanded that sugar mills pay growers according to their true cost of production and cautioned that many farmers are reluctant to plant wheat this year — a situation that could threaten national food security.
Experts from the Sugarcane Research Institute, Faisalabad confirmed that the current crop is still immature, with insufficient sugar content, while the Meteorological Department presented weather assessments relevant to the crop’s growth cycle.
After hearing the viewpoints, Secretary Dr. Kiran Khurshid assured participants that all facts and concerns raised during the meeting would be placed before the provincial and federal governments to ensure a fair and merit-based decision regarding the start of the crushing season.
PSMA Chairman Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf appreciated the Secretary’s positive approach and also commended Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her ongoing efforts toward the complete deregulation of the sugar sector, calling it a long-awaited step toward industrial reform.
The PSMA concluded by warning that continued policy confusion, coupled with bureaucratic hurdles, could lead to a complete paralysis of the sugar industry just as the crushing season is about to begin.
