QUETTA: Sugar dealers and traders in Balochistan have alleged that they have been forced to sell imported sugar, while the sale of domestically produced sugar has effectively been restricted, asking the provincial government to restore the issuance of no-objection certificates (NOCs) for transporting sugar from other parts of the country.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Central Anjuman-i-Tajran Balochistan President Abdul Rahim Kakar and Balochistan Sugar Dealers’ Association President Syed Abdul Rehman Shah warned that if the issue was not resolved within a week, the buying and selling of sugar across the province would stop as the demand was met by procuring sugar from mills in Punjab and Sindh in the absence of any sugar mill in Balochistan.
They alleged that for some time, traders in Balochistan were forced to sell imported sugar, with the result that consumers were compelled to purchase sugar at higher prices.
The traders’ leaders said the current price of imported sugar is Rs175 per kilogram, while the ex-mill price of locally produced sugar was around Rs140 per kg, creating a price difference of about Rs40 per kg that ultimately burdens consumers.
They added that imported sugar had comparatively lower sweetness, making it less acceptable to consumers.
Besides, they pointed out, transportation costs from the port city of Karachi to Quetta and other parts of Balochistan were significantly higher, directly impacting both traders and the public.
In contrast, freight costs from sugar mills in Sindh are relatively lower. They added that due to higher sweetness, consumers in Balochistan generally prefer locally produced Pakistani sugar.
The leaders said Balochistan’s traders have already purchased and sold their allotted quota of imported sugar, yet they are now being compelled to buy an additional 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of imported sugar lying at Karachi Port.
They said they had met the chief secretary and officials of the industries department to inform them that imported sugar was pushing prices higher for consumers, but no tangible progress had been made.
Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2026