Kissan Ittehad seeks 1m tonnes in sugar exports

According to Dawn, the Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) wants 1 million tonnes of surplus sugar cleared for export without delay, ahead of the crushing season starting on Nov 15. At a press conference in Lahore, PKI president Khalid Mahmood Khokhar warned that farmers could lose Rs100 billion in revenue, a situation he likened to the 2017-18 sugar crisis. He argued that unless export permission arrives quickly, the surplus could push prices down and force growers to sell below cost.

The union said a record sugarcane crop covering more than 3.5 million acres is nearly ready for harvest, with output projected to rise 10 to 15 per cent year-on-year. Domestic reserves already hold 1.3 million tonnes of sugar, which the group views as excess supply. Citing the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26, it noted that the crop contributes 0.8pc of GDP and 3.2pc of agricultural value addition.

The PKI also presented four policy demands, including a fully market-driven sugar sector free of administrative controls and approvals, a ban on new mills until existing plants reach 75pc capacity utilisation, and a minimum 50-mile gap between future mills. It also called for repeal of all provincial sugar regulations, arguing this would shift focus toward per-acre productivity and long-term profitability.