Sugar mills pay Rs 77b to cane growers
11 March, 2013
LAHORE: The sugar mills have paid about 86 per cent of total amount to Rs77.18 billion to cane growers in Punjab while rest of about Rs13 billion will be paid to the farmers by mid of this month, industry sources said.
LAHORE: The sugar mills have paid about 86 per cent of total amount to Rs77.18 billion to cane growers in Punjab while rest of about Rs13 billion will be paid to the farmers by mid of this month, industry sources said.
They said that mills were able to make this payment due to sugar export decision of the government. They said that due to timely payment the growers will be able to expand their sugar cultivation and next year crop will be increased almost by 10 per cent.
They informed that 2.09 million metric ton sugar has been produced during the current season and a total of 1.87 million metric ton sugar is available in stocks.
They anticipate a bumper sugar crop for the season 2012-13, putting the stockpiles of sweetener at 6.2 million tons after adding carryover stocks of 1.2 million tons. He said the government should devise proper export policy in order to facilitate the industry and the growers.
They said that Pakistan produced 4.8 million tons of sugar in the year (2011-12), Sindh produced 1.3 million tons, Punjab 3.1 million tons while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produced 1.3 million tons.
PSMA Punjab chairman Riaz Qadeer Butt observed that government has allowed only 2.1 million ton sugar export in two years though the country has more potential to export the sweet whitener. He demanded the government to announce a complete and permanent mechanism for sugar export by fixing a limit.
“The export quantity should be enhanced to enable millers for payment. Whenever the sugar production surpasses a particular limit, necessary for local needs, the sugar mills should export surplus stock without waiting for permission of government,” PSMA Punjab chairman observed.
He said that the long-term policies and permanent mechanism for sugar export will allow the millers to enhance their expertise and endeavour for foreign market, besides producing surplus sugar to earn precious foreign exchange,” Butt stated.
He said that our exporters are not aware of world market norms and clientage chain they have to take more time to seek information for marketing of their products due to temporary approval of sugar export. He blamed the government for inconsistent policies, which confused the millers as well as the exporters to decide its production target and export strategies.
PSMA Punjab chairman said exporting sugar would help not only off-loading the surplus sugar but also help earn precious foreign exchange for the country.
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