ISLAMABAD: The sugar mafia seems to be running wild once again, as government measures to cool down the market have fallen flat. The price of sugar has shot up by more than Rs10 per kilogram in a single week.
According to official data, the maximum retail price of sugar across Pakistan has climbed to Rs220 per kg, compared to Rs210 per kg last week.
Karachi residents are bearing the brunt, as the city recorded the highest rate of Rs220 per kg, forcing consumers to dig deeper into their pockets.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported that the maximum price in Quetta reached Rs216 per kg, while sugar was sold at Rs215 in Hyderabad and Rs212 in Bannu.
In Larkana, sugar was available at Rs205 per kg, while Sukkur recorded a price of Rs200 per kg. In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the maximum price stood at Rs190 per kg.
Consumers in Gujranwala and Sialkot were paying Rs180 per kg, the same rate seen in Faisalabad and Sargodha, while Lahore recorded Rs179 per kg.
The average national sugar price was reported at Rs189.61 per kg, slightly higher than last week’s average of Rs188.81 per kg.
Analysts say prices continue to slip out of the government’s hands, with supply pressures and market manipulation keeping rates on the rise.
