The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) spokesman on Tuesday condemned Advisor to the PM on Industries Raja Basharat’s statement on sugar prices saying that the advisor has no clue about sugar trade and the cost of production.
As a matter of record, the spokesman said that he wants to clarify that the industry procured sugarcane at an average purchase price of Rs 200 per 40 kilogrammes and the average cost of production the PSMA submitted to the federal government was Rs 64 without sales tax and excise duty. He said that Basharat is neither competent to speak on sugar costing nor conversant with financial and other aspects and only trying to blow his political trumpet and giving an adverse impression to the general public, which is deplorable.
The PSMA spokesman said that politicians are indulging in a blame game by making the sugar industry a scapegoat. This practice should be discouraged, as the sugar industry has a significant contribution to the national economy and the second largest employment provider in Pakistan, he said.
