Sugar price keeps climbing for 16th week

Since late November when prices stood at Rs131.85 per kg, sugar has become 30.37% more expensive

By Israr Khan
March 15, 2025
Workers prepare sugar bags to be distributed to people in need, ahead of the Holy month of Ramadan at a warehouse in Islamabad, Pakistan. — AFP/File
Workers prepare sugar bags to be distributed to people in need, ahead of the Holy month of Ramadan at a warehouse in Islamabad, Pakistan. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: The sugar prices have surged for the 16th consecutive week, with a Rs9.26 per kg jump in the past seven days, pushing the nationwide average to Rs171.9 per kg, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

Since late November when the prices stood at Rs131.85 per kg, sugar has become 30.37 percent more expensive, reflecting a Rs40 per kg increase.

Notably, in March 2024, the average price stood at Rs142.9 per kg, marking an annual increase of approximately Rs20.3 percent or Rs29 per kg.

The relentless price hike follows the government’s decision to approve large-scale sugar exports, allowing 750,000 metric tons to be shipped between June and October 2024, including a final tranche of 500,000 metric tons in October.

Market analysts attribute the surge to tight domestic supplies and export-driven demand.

Despite official price controls, reports suggest that sugar is being sold at even higher rates of Rs180/kg in several cities, exacerbating financial strain on lower- and middle-income households.