Sugar prices across Pakistan have surged to unprecedented levels despite the start of the crushing season in Sindh and Punjab and the presence of significant imported sugar stocks. The sudden price hike has raised serious concerns among consumers, traders, and policymakers.
According to Rauf Ibrahim, Chairman of the Wholesale Grocers Association, wholesale sugar prices in Karachi have hit a historic high of Rs202 per kilogram. He revealed that sugar mill owners in Sindh have suspended supplies to Karachi’s wholesale markets for the past two days, triggering an artificial shortage.
In Punjab, wholesale sugar prices have climbed to Rs175 per kilogram, while in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, prices have surged to Rs200 per kilogram, suggesting a coordinated strategy by mills to manipulate market rates. Retail prices in several parts of Karachi have further skyrocketed to Rs210–Rs215 per kilogram, burdening already struggling households.
Ibrahim warned that due to the halted supply from mills, wholesale prices could rise even further in the coming days. He noted that mills have been buying sugarcane from farmers at Rs350–Rs400 per maund, bringing their production cost to nearly Rs10 per kilogram, making the steep market prices unjustifiable.
He further pointed out that the IMF report has explicitly mentioned cartelization by sugar mill owners, yet the government has taken no action. Calling the IMF’s stance accurate, he urged authorities to implement immediate and strict measures to curb cartel practices and protect public interest.
