LAHORE, Oct 8: The sugar industry is key industry playing important role in the agro-industrial development of the country, said Dr Salman Shah, adviser to the prime minister on finance.

Addressing the members of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) at its annual function here on Saturday, Dr Salman said that the industry had shown great maturity in meeting challenges. “It is matter of satisfaction that it is competing with the world without and crutches of protection from the government.”

He asked the sugar mill owners to go for further diversification of their products.

Regarding their demand for mixing of ethanol with petroleum products, he said if it was economically viable the government would definitely look into.

He assured his fully support in updating research institute for sugar.

Earlier, PSMA president Ch. M Zaka Ashraf in his welcome address demanded dedicated cane zones around sugar mills for developing new varieties with higher yield and recovery and linkage of sugar cane price to the recovery of sugar cane.

He also demanded minimum 10 per cent ethanol blended with petrol should be legislated and flex fuel cars with an option to use blended gasoline on pure ethanol be introduced in Pakistan. —APP