In order to facilitate growers, sugar mills have started the crushing season of sugarcane to fulfill their corporate obligation. Now, it is the turn of government to speed up process of buying 0.2 million stocks from the sugar mills in order to make payments to growers on time. If government takes this action, the liquidity of the sugar industry would increase, as said by Chairman Pakistan Sugar Mills Association, Javed Kiani, in an issued statement. Despite floods in Sindh, sugarcane production was estimated to be 54 million tonnes and resultantly, refined sugar production was about 5.00 million tonnes during the current season. Chairman PSMA said the millers have paid 100 per cent dues to the growers belonging to last crushing season, and all credit goes to millers for clearing out all outstanding dues. The millers are making efforts to pay price of sugarcane on time during this season.
For this, government has to accelerate the process of buying 0.2 million tonnes of refined sugar to facilitate the growers. Javed Kiani said the prices of refined sugar have come down from 20 to 25 per cent this year in November as compared to last year, when the sugar millers had produced refined sugar more than what was required. Prices per kilograms in November 2010 were Rs80-90 and Rs62-66 during November 2011, he clarified. PSMA chairman said the sugar industry has started sugarcane crushing season in November, while it was started in December last year. He said this drive of the sugar millers would benefit the farmers of sugarcane.