The Pakistan Sugar Manufacturing Association (PSMA) have been taking out large print ads in the newspapers for the pat few days, trying to convince the Government to allow the export of sugar.
In 2016 ECC had allowed the export of 0.5 M tonne sugar and even allowed cash subsidiary amounting to 650 crore Rs to exporting sugar companies. And later in the year, during the Holy month of Ramadan, the price of sugar increased by more than 50% for the people of Pakistan.
Therefore this time, before the government allows the PSMA to export sugar, they should ensure that there is no shortage of Sugar later in the years. The exporters should be financial liable for the cost of importing Sugar to meet local demand and to keep prices the same for the entire year.
And since research has shown that the shortage of food increases poverty and increase in food production reduces poverty, therefore I believe if we truly want to end poverty in Pakistan, the Government should completely ban the export of food items from Pakistan. When a food item stock increases in the country it would reduce the price of the commodity and reduce poverty.
Engr Shahryar Khan Baseer
Peshawar, Pakistan