Sugar prices in Sindh surged as many mills remain idle, while Punjab sugar trades at 16,800–17,100 per quintal. In Sindh, prices jumped to 19,300 per quintal before settling back at 18,200 per quintal. This unusual rise comes despite the start of the new 2025–26 crushing season, a period when sugar prices typically remain stable in the initial months.
One of the reasons for surge is provincial restrictions on sugar movement which have limited the free flow of stocks, creating shortages and pushing prices upward, leading to the price gap between Sindh and Punjab. Along with this, crushing operations have started at a few sugar mills in Sindh, but most remain closed. In Upper Sindh, four mills have started cane crushing, while one mill in Lower Sindh has also commenced operations while other remains idle due to farmers continue concerns over ongoing deregulation of the sugar market. The government has not yet announced an indicative price for sugarcane, a step linked to IMF loan conditions.
Earlier this year, the government imported sugar to stabilize the market during a perceived shortage and successfully managed sugar prices, which had peaked at 21,500 per quintal in Karachi. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has now issued a tender for an additional 36,000 tons of imported sugar to strengthen supply and normalize the market. This new supply is expected to ease shortages and bring sugar prices back to stable levels across the country.
