The subject news item “No sugar being smuggled to Afghanistan” as published in Profit dated 23-07-2011 contained some inaccurate data. The news item states that the production of sugar is approximately 4 million tons, whereas, sugar production for the year 2010-11 stands at 4.17 Million tons, based on reports of TCP & Provincial Cane Commissioners’. Currently the total available stocks are 1.83 Million tons of sugar which is sufficient till 25th December, 2011 well after new sugar begins to enter the market.
At another place, it was reported that “Pakistan’s milling capacity is in excess of 5 million tones” while in fact Pakistan’s sugar milling capacity is well over the given figure. 83 functional sugar mills of Pakistan have a total sugar production capacity of 6.8 million tons in a season (60,000) tons per day. Capacity utilized is 60-70% depending upon sugarcane production.
If the mills operate at full capacity subject to availability of sugarcane the sugar so produced would be sufficient for 272 Million people at 25 kg per head annual consumption level bench mark. However during the last three years average off-take has been 22kg per head.
