Pakistan puts 1.08 lakh tonnes of imported sugar up for tender amid criticism over policy swings
Pakistan has put 108,000 tonnes of imported sugar up for international tender, highlighting recurring shifts between exports and imports. Officials cite surplus stocks and recovery of import costs, while weak demand-supply planning and alleged price-fixing continue raising concerns.
New Delhi: Pakistan’s decision to put around 1.08 lakh tonnes of imported sugar up for international tender has renewed criticism of the country’s recurring shift between sugar exports and imports, with a new report attributing the policy swings to weak demand and supply planning, IANS reported.
Morocco-based publication Assahifa reported that Pakistan has repeatedly moved between exporting sugar when domestic supplies appear adequate and importing it when prices rise or shortages emerge.
The latest tender involves the remaining stocks from the 3 lakh tonnes of sugar imported last year to address a domestic shortage. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved the international tender, with officials saying the move would help the government recover import and carrying costs before the stocks deteriorate.
The report, citing Express Tribune, said Pakistan had permitted the export of 7.9 lakh tonnes of sugar in 2025 before subsequently approving imports of up to 5 lakh tonnes. Of this, around 3 lakh tonnes were actually imported.
Of the imported quantity, only about 1.92 lakh tonnes had been sold in the domestic market, leaving nearly 1.08 lakh tonnes in warehouses operated by the state-run Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).
The government has argued that selling the remaining stock through an international tender would help recover the costs associated with importing and holding the sugar.
However, the latest move has again highlighted concerns over Pakistan’s sugar policy, which has frequently alternated between exports and imports. The repeated policy shifts have also made the finance ministry cautious about approving further exports, amid concerns over the financial burden on the government and the political fallout from previous decisions.
The ECC has previously flagged weaknesses in the government’s demand and supply projections, with inaccurate forecasts cited as a factor behind repeated import-export cycles and the resulting economic costs.
The report also referred to concerns raised by Pakistan’s Competition Commission regarding alleged price-fixing and supply-control practices among sugar mills, including coordinated actions facilitated through the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA).
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Source : ChiniMandi
