Email Print Top Stories Eurofighter deal with UK on course: Saudi Arabia Hamas FM announces China visit in May Cement makers agree to stop export till April 30 PS raises hot-roll coil, billet prices by Rs 1,000 per ton Pakistan asks US for 'package approach' World Bank suggests plan to weed out CBR surplus staff: setting up of 12 RTOs termed 'over-ambitious' Prudential regulations for MFBs amended Nine-month CPI and SPI show decline US and UK strengthen SCRAs Islamabad and Tehran reach deal on basics of IPI gas pipeline Adviser rules out interest rate cut in near future: tax charges to be reduced in budget Internal audit reveals customs officials misappropriations Oil prices raised Openness in South Asia can reduce trust deficit: Prime Minister Government's re-lending policy to be revised

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo has said that the government had developed a long-term policy to deal with sugar crisis and one million metric tonnes of sugar would be imported next year.

He said this while talking to the media after attending the consumer award ceremony organised by the Consumer Association of Pakistan (CAP) on Monday.

The minister said that since the start of the new crushing season the situation regarding the availability of sugar at Rs 40 per kilogramme has been changed. The sugar price would be decided on the basis of its supply and demand in the open market and the government cannot fix sugar prices anymore.

Manzoor said that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had directed the Ministry of Industries and Production to provide sugar to people through Utility Stores Corporation at Rs 38 per kg. He said that Trading Corporation of Pakistan would supply 100,000 metric tonnes of sugar to USCs for this purpose.

The TCP has procured this sugar at Rs 65 per kg, but it is being sold to consumers at Rs 38 per kg, he added.

He was of the view that the government was providing a subsidy of Rs 27 per kg to make sure that the common man should get the sugar at affordable rates. However, he made it clear that sugar rates were very high in neighbouring India and Afghanistan and therefore this situation would certainly impact sugar prices in Pakistan.

He invited the consumer association to lodge complaints if any against 20 industrial and commercial entities including Pakistan Steel Mills working under his ministry. We will take you on board in this regard, he added.

Referring to the political situation, the minister said that some elements were trying to create misunderstandings, but the government will take all the criticism from the media in a positive spirit and make corrections on the basis of suggestions.

He said Gilani was trying to convince foreign investors including China, European countries, America and others in his foreign visits and international conferences to invest in Pakistan especially in the energy sector.

Earlier, CAP Chairman Kaukab Iqbal in his welcome address highlighted the importance of consumer awards and said that they serve as check on the manufacturers and suppliers of consumer items. Later, the minister distributed awards among the winners.

End.