Sugar industry knocks on Prime Minister's Office door for a sweetener

It is seeking steps so that mills can clear dues to the tune of Rs 225 billion to farmers

The Rs 1-trillion domestic sugar sector is staring at an unprecedented crisis of lower realisation and market glut resulting in a whopping Rs 225 billion outstanding, which mill owners owe the farmers.  

This has prompted the beleaguered industry to knock on the doors of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for succour.

Representatives of private and public sector sugar mills have urged the Centre for extending immediate support to the industry by way of export assistance and increasing the sugar minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the central government.

Earlier this month, the Centre had announced a Rs 70 billion package to ease liquidity