PSMA urges govt again to allow surplus sugar exports

Business Recorder reported that the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has written a third letter to Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain. The association wants the government to permit sugar exports immediately, before the 2026-27 crushing season starts. According to the letter, the export approval should be granted in two phases.

Stocks stood at 3.171 million metric tons on 31st July, 2026, a figure the FBR and the industry have reconciled and agreed upon. With average monthly consumption put at 564,196 metric tons, the association projects a surplus of 1.197 million metric tons by the season's start on November 15. It also expects another bumper cane harvest, which it claims could produce 8 million metric tons of sugar, far beyond domestic requirements.

The association says sugar prices are currently under production costs, while cane prices climb each year. Unsold inventory is also limiting its ability to repay bank loans and settle dues owed to farmers, according to the letter.