Govt claims vs reality: sugar still selling at Rs180 per kg

ISLAMABAD: Despite government assurances that sugar is available in the open market at Rs164 per kilogram, citizens continue to pay inflated prices of up to Rs180 per kg.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the maximum price of sugar in the country has reached Rs180 per kg, while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had announced a retail price of Rs164 per kg.

Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer had also claimed that sugar was being sold at Rs163 per kg.

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The bureau reported that sugar prices at utility stores increased by Rs8 per kg, reaching Rs158 per kg, up from Rs150 last week.

The average price of sugar in the open market remains higher, making utility stores the cheaper option by Rs10.68 per kg.

Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar have recorded the highest sugar prices in the country.

Over the past week, the average sugar price dropped by Rs1.61 per kg, bringing it down to Rs168.80 per kg.

A year ago, the average price stood at Rs142.91 per kg.

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The price surge follows the government’s decision to allow the export of 750,000 metric tonnes of sugar between June and October 2024, with the last export approval granted in October.

At the time, the government had stated that exports would be halted if retail prices exceeded Rs145.15 per kg.

However, between December 2024 and February 2025, sugar exports continued, and prices kept rising.

Crackdown on overpricing

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, expressing satisfaction over the slight decline in prices, has directed sugar mill owners to honour their pricing agreements.

Chairing a meeting on the sugar crisis, he reiterated the government’s commitment to regulating supply and pricing, stressing that sugar should not be sold above Rs164 per kg.

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Meanwhile, a crackdown on retailers overcharging for sugar has intensified in the federal capital.

The Islamabad Capital Territory administration has conducted surprise inspections across cities, sealing shops and arresting vendors found selling sugar above the government-fixed price.

Assistant commissioners and price control magistrates continue their operations, while Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon has instructed authorities to take indiscriminate action against profiteers to enforce price regulations.