Pakistan Govt scraps sugar import tender over price, quality concerns
Pakistan cancelled a 100,000-ton sugar import tender due to high prices and quality concerns. Bids exceeded acceptable limits, while domestic sugar prices surged to PKR 195/kg. Retailers struggle to comply with price controls. Officials vow strict oversight as PML-N’s Saad Rafique calls for action against profiteering and supply chain issues.
Islamabad: The federal government has cancelled a tender for 100,000 tons of sugar due to unacceptable pricing and quality concerns, according to senior government officials. The administration was unable to reach agreements with any of the three bidding companies because the quoted rates did not meet the required standards.
Bids for fine, small-grain sugar were between $539 and $567 per ton, while medium-sized sugar was quoted at $599 per ton—both deemed excessive. Additional expenses related to cargo management at Karachi Port, including unloading, truck loading, and inland transport, further inflated the import costs.
The government affirmed its commitment to maintaining quality and fair pricing, rejecting any irregularities in the sugar importation process. Domestically, sugar costs have resumed their upward trajectory after a brief two-day respite, despite government intervention and regulation.
Rauf Ibrahim, Chairman of the Wholesale Grocers Association, reported that ex-mill sugar prices have climbed from PKR 165 to PKR 172–173 per kg. Wholesale prices are now at PKR 176–177 per kg, with retail prices reaching PKR 190–195 per kg. Market observers warn that retail prices could surpass PKR 200 per kg if stringent oversight is not implemented.
Separately, senior PML-N leader and former federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique expressed apprehension about the escalating sugar situation in Lahore. He indicated that numerous retailers have ceased sugar sales due to unsustainable prices. “Retailers claim they cannot purchase sugar at PKR 190 per kg and then sell it at PKR 173 under pressure from authorities,” Rafique explained. He also criticized magistrates for imposing penalties without actual transactions, advocating for firm measures against sugar profiteers and a sustainable resolution to the crisis.
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Source : Mashriq Tv
