ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: A delegation of Pakistan Sugar Mill Association (PSMA), led by Sikander Khan, held a meeting with the government officials concerned here on Tuesday and reviewed the sugar situation of the current sugar year (Oct 2001 to Sept 2002) as well as expected production of the next sugar year (Nov 2002 to Oct 2003).

According to a press release issued here, the meeting was co-chaired by Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and Agriculture Minister Khair Mohammad Junejo and attended by the secretaries of commerce, industry, revenue and finance division and other officers concerned.

It was decided that the government would work out the modalities of exports of surplus sugar which is currently estimated at 100,000 tons.

In addition, the government would provide sugar to Afghanistan under the Commodity Assistance Programme. The exact amount of sugar to be provided to Afghanistan will be mutually worked out by the two governments.

These measures are being taken to protect farmers as well as sugar industry. The meeting also reviewed the size of the sugarcane of the current fiscal year and estimated sugar production for the next sugar year. Considering the fact that area under sugarcane is higher by 9 per cent, the size of the crop is estimated to be about 52 million tons. Accordingly, sugar production is expected to be higher than last year.

The meeting also decided to work out modalities to discourage dumping of imported sugar into Pakistan.

Both the finance and agriculture ministers also urged the association to start crushing sugar as soon as possible to provide relief to the growers. In this regard, the two ministers agreed to take up the issue with the provincial governments to encourage sugar industry to commence their production during the year before Eid.

The representatives of Punjab and NWFP millers agreed to start production within a week and Sindh would consider accelerating the production date in the interest of farmers. It was further agreed that problems faced by the sugar mill would be discussed threadbare between the association and CBR to find a workable solution to the issues related to sales tax.

The meeting also agreed to request the SBP Governor to hold a meeting with PSMA members and bankers to discuss financial issues related to sugar industry.