Give us incentives or get ready for price hike, Sugar millers threatened government
By Sudhir Chaudhry
LAHORE: Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has threatened that if the government not give special incentives to sugar industry then the price of sugar will go up. The PSMA at the same time threatened cane growers to stop talking against them or the consequences would not be good.
Addressing the press conference, the new chairman of PSMA Chauhdry Zaka Ashraf said that the government should give special attention to sugar industry as in the coming season the sugar production could be low. He said that the price of sugar increased due to higher production cost. He urged the government to stop production of gur as in this way the government revenue would decrease while the produce could be smuggled to Afghanistan. “The government will impose Rs 5.5 million fine a day in case the crushing season is not started in time; it is not acceptable to our industry,” said Zaka Ashraf adding that the Federal Board of Revenue without any reason has imposed Rs 20 billion fine on sugar industry.
It is pertinent to mention that newly elected Chairman Zaka Ashraf is friend of former President Asif Zardari and was also appointed Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board in 2011, during the tenure of Asif Ali Zardari.
Responding to this scribe question, the sugar miller Chaudhry Abdul Waheed said that Sugar Commission report is nothing but “lies” adding it seems as if uneducated and illiterate people has made this report. He said that the production of sugar increased due to good sugar crop. He said that the millers paid very good price to the cane growers but even then everyone including cane growers and government is talking against the millers. He said that if the price of cane is increased during crushing season then there will be no option left for the industry but to increase sugar prices.
Muhammad Sudhir Chaudhry is senior journalist and Special Correspondent of The Freedom. He can be reached at muhammadsudhirch@admingmail.com
