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Friday March 29, 2024

Half of wholesale markets flouting govt sugar price cap

By Munawar Hasan
April 20, 2021
A worker unloading sugar in this file photo

LAHORE: Half of the main wholesale markets in the Punjab are openly flouting the sugar price cap set by the government, official data showed on Monday.

As much as Rs10 or more per kilogram of sugar is being charged at mandis of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahim Yar Khan if compared with notified wholesale price of Rs81-82 per kg, as per the data released by agriculture marketing services of the provincial government.

There are 10 main wholesale markets in the province.

The average wholesale prices range between Rs8,854 to 8,809 per 100 kg, which is Rs3 to 5 more than the notified price of Rs85 per kg.

Traders from Gujranwala, one of the strongholds of political opponent of the incumbent government, are getting sugar at Rs9,600 to 9,500 per 100 kg in the province. The retail price in this district is over Rs100 per kg against the government notified price of Rs85 per kg.

Interestingly, Rs9,500 to 9,400 per 100 kg price of sugar is observed in Rahim Yar Khan, where Jahangir Khan Tareen, an estranged leader from the ruling party runs a sugar mill. Price of sugar used to be comparatively on the lower side in this district compared to other districts of the province. However, this year, the price in the wholesale mandi of Rahim Yar Khan is one of the highest in the province.

Contrary to this trend, Rs8,540 to 8,480 per 100 kg wholesale price is observed in the market of Bahawalpur, the hometown of Zaka Ashraf, president of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association Punjab Zone.

Sugar becomes bitter for the consumers living in remote district of Dera Ghazi Khan, the native district of Punjab Chief Minster Usman Buzdar.

According to official data, Rs9,200 to 9,100 per 100 kg price is prevalent in Dera Ghazi Khan wholesale market.

The price of 9,500 to 9,480 per 100 kg is charged in Multan, the hub of South Punjab.

The writ of the government seems yet to be established in the Rawalpindi markets with Rs9,200 to 9,180 per 100 kg rate.

Although Rawalpindi is under the administrative control of Punjab government, it is also next to national capital and known as twin city with Islamabad.

The remaining five major wholesale markets where notified price of sugar is observed include Sargodha, Okara, Faisalabad and Lahore.

As many as Rs8,300 to 8,250 per 100 kg sugar rate is reported from Sargodha wholesale market while in Okara, Rs8,200 to 8,200 per 100 kg wholesale price is charged. Faisalabad, the industrial hub of the province has been some administrative grip over the prices as Rs8,300 to 8,300 per 100 kg of sugar wholesale price is reported.

Agriculture marketing services of the provincial government recorded Rs8,200 to 8,200 per 100 kg sugar price in the wholesale market.