Due to the Punjab government’s management issues, there is concern about a potential 40% increase in sugar prices, which could escalate from PKR 140 to PKR 200.
The Punjab sugarcane crop is ready, and the crushing season has already commenced. However, the government has yet to establish a fixed price for sugarcane.
The Farmers’ Union is advocating for an increase in the price of sugarcane from PKR 400 to PKR 550, attributing the demand to the rising costs of fertilizers and pesticides. They are calling on the Government of Pakistan to adjust the sugarcane pricing accordingly.
پنجاب حکومت نے کسانوں سے گندم نہیں خریدی، اونے پونے بیچی، پھر زرعی ٹیکس نافذ کیا، اب گنے کی امدادی قیمت بھی مقرر نہیں کی، 2 دن بعد کرشنگ سیزن کا آغاز ہے۔ کسان بچنا چاہتے ہیں تو کماد کا گڑ بنائیں، شوگر ملز کی طرف نہ جائیں۔ موجودہ حکومت شوگر مل مالکان سے پوچھ گچھ بھی نہیں کرے گی pic.twitter.com/Zn01SN5VtW
— Ahmad Warraich (@ahmadwaraichh) November 19, 2024With sugarcane prices potentially increasing, there is a risk that sugar prices could surge from PKR 140 to PKR 200. The sugar mills are expected to begin crushing operations on Thursday, November 21.
Journalist Ahmad Warraich reacted to a Daily Duniya News (Urdu) news feed and criticized the Punjab government’s approach, highlighting its failure to purchase wheat from farmers, sell it at reduced rates, and then implement agricultural taxes.
Warraich also noted that with the crushing season beginning in just two days, the government has not set a support price for sugarcane. Warraich advised farmers to consider producing jaggery to avoid losses, cautioning that the government is unlikely to hold sugar mill owners accountable under the current administration.
