Sugar prices in Pakistan have risen sharply by at least Rs. 11 per kilogram over the past three months, reaching an average of Rs. 145 per kilogram in January 2025.
The recent price hike is attributed to the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision last year to allow sugar exports. In October 2024, sugar prices averaged Rs. 135 per kilogram, but the ECC’s approval to export 500,000 tons of sugar that month triggered the surge. Currently, prices range between Rs. 145 and Rs. 165 per kilogram.
Read more: Sugar Prices Hit Rs. 165 per Kg
In August 2024, the ECC had initially permitted the export of 100,000 tons of sugar on the condition that market prices would remain stable. However, rates have since exceeded expectations.
Sources suggest the price spike is a deliberate move by dealers seeking higher profits ahead of Ramazan, capitalizing on demand before prices potentially drop to align with government-controlled amnesty schemes.
