The Ministry of Science and Technology has asked the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to go slow its implementation process of the prohibition of manufacturing substandard sugar in the country, sources told Business Recorder on Monday.
The directives have been issued in light of the ongoing negotiations between the officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA)). "Yes the ministry had asked the provincial offices to show restrain in implementation of the PS: 1822-2007, which allows the manufacturing of only refined sugar and white sugar," an official of the authority said on condition of anonymity.
The SRO No (1)2008 (C.No 5 (1/2002-ATA-II-Vol-V) was issued on October 11, 2008 and its enforcement was due by the fall of the new calendar year of 2009. However, out of 74 sugar mills in all the four provinces, only 26 have so far sought certification marks license (CM), while the association was also engaged in negotiations with the senior officials of the ministry, seeking extension in the deadline of the implementation.
After the issuance of the notification, the provincial offices of Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) issued letters to all sugar mills of the country, including six sugar mills of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Interestingly, none of them had applied for certification marks license for their products.
The PSMA has been resisting implementation of the notification on the plea that in the short time given to the manufacturers, it might not be possible to procure necessary equipment and chemicals required to meet the Pakistan standard. The association, however, demanding deferment of the implementation by at least one year.
The sugar millers are also reportedly opposing the implementation, saying that instead of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the sector should be regulated by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal). But the officials of Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) are of the view that the Minfal regulates the production of Gur and not sugar.
The PSQCA, in its notices issued to the management of sugar mills, warned that who-ever contravened any of the provision of the notification, would be punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term, which might extend to one year or with fine which should be no less than Rs 50,000 or both.
"To avoid any penal action, it is advised, in your own interest to submit the prescribed application form-1, (Within 15 days of the receipt of the notice) for the grant of CM license along with a bank draft of Rs 1000 as application fee for each applied brand in favour of the Standards Development Centres," it said.