Pakistan's sugar industry is grappling with significant challenges, including a surplus of sugar production and restrictive export limitations.
Despite producing excess sugar, the government has deferred decisions on exports due to conflicting reports on stock levels, with the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association claiming a surplus of 1.5 million metric tonnes, while official estimates suggest only 114,000 metric tonnes. This discrepancy highlights ongoing tensions between industry stakeholders and government authorities, as the industry struggles with financial constraints and regulatory hurdles that hinder its ability to capitalize on surplus production and meet farmer liabilities[1][5].
Citations:
[1] https://invezz.com/news/2024/07/22/pakistans-sugar-industry-faces-challenges-with-surplus-and-export-limitations/
[2] https://pide.org.pk/research/the-sugar-industry-of-pakistan-understanding-structural-and-regulatory-underpinnings-of-the-current-sugar-crisis-3/
[3] https://cc.gov.pk/assets/images/Downloads/assessment_studies/sugar_report.pdf
[4] https://www.fao.org/4/X0513E/x0513e23.htm
[5] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464531/pm-defers-decision-to-export-sugar-on-contradictory-claims