Pakistan government to import 1 million metric tonnes of sugar to address looming crisis: Report

The Pakistan government has now opted to import nearly 1 million metric tonnes of sugar in order to restock the country's pared supply after being duped by sugar mill owners about a "sufficient" domestic stock, as per Geo News reports.

The federal government is set to import the sugar at an exorbitant price of PKR 220 per kilogramme and the load will further be passed on to the population, which is already suffering from inflation and will be compelled to pay excessive prices, the Geo News said.

The current situation in the country arose after sugar mill owners misled the government by securing permission for export and reassuring that the country has 'sufficient' stock for domestic use.

Punjab Food Department said that it has a carryover surplus stock of sugar of almost 1 million metric tonnes. However, a spokeswoman for the department warned that in the coming days, the country could witness a potential sugar crisis.

As per reports, the authorities are now only left with an option to use the surplus stock in order to mitigate the issue. Regardless, doing so will ultimately result in imported sugar being sold on the market, leading the consumers to pay PKR 220 per kg for sugar rather than the set amount of PKR 100 per kg.

As per sources cited by Geo News, the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP)has already written to Pakistan's commercial attaché in Brazil to establish arrangements for the import of 100,000 metric tonnes of sugar from the South American country.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE