Islamabad, July 22, 2025 – Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, has issued a stern warning to sugar mills across Pakistan, cautioning them against hoarding and non-compliance with government-fixed pricing policies.
During a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, the minister met with representatives from the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA), provincial agriculture departments, and other key stakeholders to assess the current sugar pricing situation. The discussion primarily focused on the implementation of the government’s notified ex-mill price of Rs 165 per kilogram, which several mills are reportedly ignoring.
Expressing serious concerns over artificial price hikes, the minister condemned the role of certain sugar mills in creating supply shortages and unjust inflationary pressure. He emphasized that the manipulation of sugar prices not only harms consumers but also destabilizes market conditions. He warned that any failure by the PSMA to ensure compliance among its members would lead to immediate and decisive action, including a nationwide crackdown on hoarding, profiteering, and price manipulation.
The minister instructed provincial authorities to submit comprehensive compliance reports within 24 hours. He also urged them to intensify monitoring at the district level and to collaborate closely with local administrations to detect any illegal storage or hoarding of sugar stocks.
Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research will be working in coordination with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), provincial food departments, and other regulatory bodies to ensure that violators face legal consequences. He reiterated that protecting consumer interests and maintaining stability in essential commodity markets is a top government priority.
He called upon all sugar industry stakeholders to demonstrate responsibility and to support the government’s efforts to ensure fair distribution and affordable pricing of sugar throughout the country. The government, he said, is fully prepared to take strong administrative and legal measures to address any attempts at exploitation or market distortion.