ISLAMABAD: Pakistani economists on Thursday blamed weak enforcement of regulations by the government and lack of transparency for the recurring sugar crisis in the country, stressing the urgent need for reforms in the sugar industry to resolve the problem.
In Pakistan, high sugar prices have often triggered public outcry and become flashpoints for opposition criticism, with recurring allegations of hoarding and cartelization, especially during election years or periods of economic volatility.
Sugar crisis has once again started to make headlines in Pakistan, with retailers and suppliers reporting that prices of the commodity have risen sharply to Rs200 [$0.71] per kilogram in many parts of the country. This development takes place despite the government’s announcement earlier this month that it has capped sugar’s retail price at Rs173 [$0.61] per kilogram.
“The sugar crisis is not new, it recurs every two to three years regardless of which party is in power, even under military regimes,” Dr. Kaiser Bengali, a leading economist, told Arab News.
“This pattern continues due to weak enforcement, lack of transparency in stock reporting and poor regulatory oversight at all levels.”
