Imported Sugar Crisis Hits Balochistan, Prices Soar to Rs. 200 per Kg, Local Traders Demand Action

**Quetta (Daily Qudrat Quetta):** The Central Association of Traders (CAT) Balochistan has raised alarm over a severe sugar shortage and skyrocketing prices in the province, warning that the policy of selling only imported sugar is burdening consumers and local traders.

Speaking on state television alongside General Secretary of the All Balochistan Sugar Dealers Association Saifullah Langu, CAT Balochistan President Rahim Kakar said that the poor are most affected by the rising prices. He urged federal and provincial governments to take immediate measures to provide NOCs and supply local sugar to traders affiliated with the Balochistan Sugar Dealers Association.

Kakar highlighted that Balochistan has no sugar mills of its own, and traders import sugar from Punjab and Sindh to meet local demand. However, recent policies have forced traders to sell only imported sugar while banning the sale of domestically produced sugar. This has resulted in a price gap of nearly Rs. 40 per kg, with imported sugar costing around Rs. 175/kg compared to Rs. 140/kg for local sugar. For a truckload of 800 bags, the difference amounts to Rs. 1.7 million, severely affecting traders’ profits and the public’s purchasing power.

He added that imported sugar has lower sweetness, making it less preferred by consumers, and higher transport costs from Karachi further increase prices. As a result, the people of Balochistan are deprived of affordable, high-quality local sugar and are forced to buy expensive imported sugar.

Kakar emphasized that the policy has created a monopoly for imported sugar, adding financial pressure on traders while hitting household budgets of ordinary citizens. He warned that unless the government revises the policy and allows the sale of locally produced sugar, the crisis will continue, and Balochistan’s public will suffer further.

Both the Central Association of Traders and the Balochistan Sugar Dealers Association condemned the forced purchase of imported sugar from Karachi ports, totaling 50,000–60,000 tons, as unfair and harmful to local economic interests.