There is no sugar in Sindh for at least last 10 days, as the sugar mills have not only declined to supply at least 73,000 tons of sugar, which is purchased by wholesalers from the factories, but have also refused to sell 44,000 tons of its own stocks after Supreme Court (SC) orders regarding sale of the commodity at Rs 40/kg in retail.
A large number of consumers gathered outside the utility stores for two kg sugar bags as the commodity has vanished from wholesale markets and retail shops after apex court orders of October 2. Standing in long queues outside the utility stores, the consumers complained that there is no sugar in the retail shops for the last 10 days as wholesalers have suspended supply of the commodity.
They also complained that the management of the utility stores is harassing the crisis-hit masses by asking unreasonable questions from them. When this reporter visited different wholesale markets and retail shops situated in the city, the dealers of the commodity presented different arguments regarding absence of sugar from the province. The retailers alleged that the wholesalers have stopped the supply, while the dealers accused the sugar mills of not supplying sugar to meet consumers' need.
Now, the utility stores remain the only sources from where the consumers can get a 2 kg bag of white refined sugar to meet their daily requirements, but the utility stores could not provide to every citizen with sugar at subsidised rate of Rs 38/kg, said a manager, admitting that the utility stores could not cater to the needs of the masses due to limited quota issued by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan from different sugar mills.
Anis Majeed, Chairman of Karachi Wholesalers and Grocers Association (KWGA), told Business Recorder that the sugar mills of the province have refused to release 73,000 tons of sugar, which was previously purchased by the wholesalers after the apex court orders.
"Now, there is no sugar in the wholesale markets of the city," he said. He said that 43,000 tons of sugar stocks of the wholesalers have been withheld by four sugar mills and they refused to release the stock due to non-payment of dues to the banks.
Another 30,000 tons of sugar could not reach the wholesale market due to SC orders regarding sale of sugar stocks only to registered or recognised dealers. He said the association has also written a letter to the secretary to Home Minister Sindh Muhammad Arif Khan on October 9, to take immediate steps for release of sugar stocks.
He said the wholesalers are waiting for response from the provincial government and assured the supply of the commodity would be restored after settlement of dispute. Talking to Business Recorder, Abdul Wajid, Chairman of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) Sindh-Circle, said the sugar mills are supplying sugar to the wholesale markets with ex-mill rate of Rs 36/kg.
He accepted that the supply of the commodity is affected due to introduction of new mechanism, but has refused that the sugar mills have declined to comply with apex court orders. An official of the Utility Stores Corporations (USC) Karachi Zone said on the directives of Ministry of Industries and Production (MoIP), the TCP has allocated a huge quantity of white refined sugar from its designated sugar mills.
"The sugar would be available at every utility store of the city at subsidised rate of Rs 38 per kilogram," he said. He said the TCP allocated the sugar from Tando Muhammad Khan (TMK) Sugar Mills, Sehri Sugar Mills and Tandlia Wala Sugar Mills. The available sugar stock in the godowns of USC is enough to cater the consumer needs till three months, the official added.
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