Rawalpindi: As the price of sugar continues to climb, the Grocery Merchants Association has issued a strong warning: if the Punjab government and local authorities fail to bring down the wholesale price of sugar, all grocery retailers across the province will stop selling it starting next week, as per the media reports.
Sugar prices in the open market have jumped by Rs20 per kilogram in recent days, now reaching Rs180 per kilogram. However, the official retail price remains fixed at Rs164 per kilogram.
Association President Saleem Parvez Butt said sugar mills are currently supplying sugar at Rs174 per kilogram, making it impossible for shopkeepers to sell it at the government’s set price without facing losses.
He pointed out that additional costs—including loading, unloading, transport, packaging, and wastage—add up to roughly Rs10 per kilogram. “It’s not possible for retailers to buy sugar at Rs174 and sell it at Rs164. That would be a straight loss,” Butt said.
He also noted that the Rawalpindi Division and Islamabad District do not have their own sugar mills. Local dealers must bring in sugar from other regions, further adding to expenses. With the federal budget around the corner, Butt warned that if no action is taken, sugar prices could rise to Rs200 per kilogram.
The Central Grocery Association of Punjab has urged both federal and provincial governments to take action against what they call the “sugar mill mafia” and enforce the official wholesale prices. They warned that if pressure continues to be placed on retailers instead of controlling mill prices, millions of retailers across Punjab will suspend sugar sales altogether.
