Sugar industry urges the govt to impose duty on imports

KARACHI: Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has sought a bailout package from the government to overcome what it calls “a crisis-like situation” because of the cheap imported sugar, which is affecting their sales.

According to market sources, the sugar mill owners were unable to pay to the sugarcane growers because of their inability to sell stocks of the local high-priced sugar.

Instead of buying local sugar, commercial and industrial importers have imported huge quantity of the commodity, creating a crisis-like situation.

“Lifting of sugar from mills has almost halted as the imported sugar glutted the local market, causing delay in the sugarcane growers’ payments,” said officials.

They are demanding the government to restrict commercial and industrial import of the commodity, which is adversely affecting the sale of local production and making it impossible for the industry to pay Rs35 billion outstanding dues it owed to the growers.

Officials of the Sugar Industry have urged the government to impose 40 per cent countervailing duty to curb influx of commercial and industrial imports to protect the interests of all the stakeholders.

source: dawnnews