LAHORE: As many as 27 sugar mills have started sugarcane crushing in line with the Punjab government’s notification. The sugar mills that defaulted on beginning crushing on Monday (today) will be liable to face action.

The Punjab government has notified, under the Punjab Sugar Factories (Control) Act 1950, that the occupiers of sugar factories in Punjab shall start crushing of sugarcane from Nov 15.

The Punjab cane commissioner says the sugar mills not launching sugarcane crushing by Monday (today) will be slapped with a Rs1 million fine on a daily basis. The commissioner says monitoring teams have been constituted to inspect mills.

A Punjab price control and commodities management department spokesman says 27 sugar mills have started sugarcane crushing including Makka, Madina, Baba Farid, Hunza, Ramzan, Noon, Chiniot, Tariq Corporation, Safina, Hunza Jhang, Kashmir, Layyah, Tandlianwala, Joharabad, and Seven Star.

Defaulters to face action

The spokesman says 11 sugar mills will start crushing during the current week. The spokesman says the department has constituted monitoring committees at deputy commissioners’ level and will submit their reports to the department on a weekly basis.

The spokesman said the sugarcane crushing season would help stabilise sugar prices in the market. The department has also set up desks at districts’ level for the prompt payment to the farmers.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025