LAHORE, Nov 21: The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has strongly reacted to the government’s Notification SRO No.(I)/2008 under which sugar mills have been prohibited to manufacture, stock or sell refined and white sugar, which does not conform to the Pakistan Standard PSS: 1822-2007.

The notification will apply from Jan 1, 2009.

Chairman PSMA Punjab Zone Javed Kayani said in a statement that the Pakistan Standard PSS: 1822-2007 is only applicable to the pharma grade sugar, which is only produced in the UK.

He said that the time given for implementation of the standard is very short and it cannot be introduced in sugar industry from Jan 1, 2009. To implement these standards one sugar mill will be required to spend about Rs20 million on import of laboratory equipment, ion-exchange and polymers, which are not readily available in Pakistan.

He demanded that implementation of this standard must be deferred at least for one year, i.e., up to Jan 1, 2010 so that sugar industry gets time for procurement of equipment and chemicals, which would require for placement of orders and shipment by the suppliers as such sophisticated material is made on order only.

Mr Kayani feared that the SRO can be used for political victimisation of the opponents as it gives arbitrary rights to the inspectors to collect samples at random from the market also. Therefore, to establish linkage to a substandard quality of sugar produced by a particular mill would remain whimsical.

He said the SRO has been issued without taking into confidence the PSMA members and the parameters given are that of sugar, which is meant for high quality medicines.

He urged the minister for science and technology to hold in abeyance the said SRO for the ensuing crushing season as it would add to the woes of the sugar industry, which is struggling to survive.

The PSMA zonal chairman further said that the fee of 0.10 per cent is exorbitant and would add to already high cost of production, which would mean additional burden for the consumers.

He suggested that the fee should not be more than Rs50,000 per mill per year.