Investigation on the Causes of Sugar Crisis in Pakistan

Sugarcane is an important cash crop in the country contributing 3.6 percent in value-added of agriculture and 0.8 percent to total GDP. It is an important source of income and employment for the farming community of the country. The research work in this book was based upon the primary information collected from 60 growers (25 selling directly at purchase centers of corresponding sugar mills, 25 selling to private purchase centers/middlemen and 10 were selling directly at mill gate), 10 middlemen, 2 sugar mills and 8 purchase centers (4 private purchase centers and 4 mill's purchase centers to evaluate their marketing margins. According to results sugarcane farmers were facing many problems during marketing process. They also highlighted the problem regarding lack of mills development activities and the supply of inputs, credit and refined sugar at low rate. Regarding sugar crises government should announce support price before sowing of sugarcane crop to pursue farmers to put large area under sugarcane. Government should monitor working of mills by checking their stocks of sugar and should import sugar at proper time.