The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has urged the government to allow the duty-free import of 500,000 tonnes of raw sugar to avert a sugar crisis next year, PSMA chairman Iskandar Khan said.
He added that the association was concerned that the country may not achieve sugar production of 3.6-3.8 mln tonnes, white value, in 2010/11 because of the floods, while domestic consumption of 4.2 mln tonnes may rise for the new season by 100,000 tonnes, creating a deficit of at least 500,000 tonnes. He suggested to the government to remove the customs duty on raw sugar, which is 25%.
Source: Agra-net