SUGAR CRISIS IN PAKISTAN 2009

It is not the first ever sugar crisis in Pakistan as we have seen for years that such crisis engulfed our country whether it is sugar, w heat or something else. People of Pakistan are now used to listen and tolerate such painful matters. Unfortunately, none other then our so-called leaders sitting in the governing seats create these issues. We are an agricultural state. A study revealed that sugarcane is the second largest non-food crop after cotton and ranks fifth in respect of acreage. Problems that can cause sugar crisis are as follows:

1) Prolonged drought and heat stress decreased its production by 22 per cent in 1999-2000, and further 17 per cent in 2000-01.

2) There has been confrontation between growers and millers over price. Growers demand higher wages for their raw material and millers complain about increase in production cost and imports.

3) Late crushing causes dissatisfaction as well as financial loss to both, farmers and millers.

4) Other problems are stagnant cane yield, non-payment of dues to growers by mills, and low import parity prices.

During a research it was found that more than 65 per cent farmers have decreased the total area under cane production due to water shortage, behavior of the mills’ management, late payments, increased input cost, and diseases and rodent attack.
Now that there is a decrease in sugar cane crop and thus in sugar production by mills, some mill owners and the profiteers are busy in hoarding sugar. The prices go high with this and in the end the real sufferers are the poor consumers who have to buy the essential amount on a much higher price.

The responsibility lies on the shoulders of the governing bodies. But unfortunately what they do is to issue an order of crack down and call for a committee to make a report and present it in the parliament that is of no use because any committee has not showed effective outcome so far. Though the crack down was made but the real guilty party of hoarding sugar was not brought into justice. The reason is that most of them are sitting in the parliament.

The government has failed in adopting a proper agriculture policy. There is no planning at any level for important crops, including sugarcane, and no monitoring system. Our economic advisors should suggest such a mechanism to the government that enables the local industry to survive while the price of this essential item remains within the reach of the consumers. One way to get out of this perplex situation is to sacrifice on the part of the government either in the shape of withdrawal of sales tax or to give subsidy to this sector as is being practiced in India.

The government should put into trial the real culprits of sugar crisis no matter whoever they are or whatever they may be. They should not be let run away with their crime. Otherwise it would be a shame for our country and people will be compelled to call them “thieves” of the nation.