Citizens Rights Association (CRA) has backed up the proposal of buffer stocks of sugar by the government, being put forward by the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and termed it good for the consumers, growers and the industry.
A meeting of CRA members with Chaudhry Nasir Ahmed (President CRA) in the chair termed PSMA proposal very sound and stressed the government to facilitate local industry, growers and consumers instead of spending foreign exchange in importing sugar.
President CRA pointed out that government had offered a subsidy of Rs 18 billion on import of sugar through Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) which was to the advantage of foreign producers and foreign farmers and not in the national interest of Pakistan. If Pakistan's sugar industry and farmers are destroyed, Pakistan would have to import sugar worth 3-4 billion dollars, which the country cannot afford.
He urged the government to let the sense prevail and accept PSMA's proposal as in the past in the absence of buffer stock it has been witnessed that there was unprecedented increase in sugar prices due to which the citizens of Pakistan were badly affected. If the government accepts PSMA's proposal for setting up of buffer stock of 500,000 tons of sugar, it will help stabilise sugar prices in the eventuality of sugar shortage, he stated.