Punjab govt bid to control sugar price

LAHORE: In a bid to control the rising prices of sugar, the Punjab government promulgated an order late on Friday evening, authorising the cane commissioner and deputy commissioners to regulate trade of the commodity, from fixing the rate to storage, transport and distribution of the sweetener. The Punjab Foodstuffs (Sugar) Order, 2023 issued under Section 3 of the Punjab Foodstuffs (Control) Act, 1958 says that the cane commissioner may fix the ex-mill sugar price after giving a three-day notice to the representative body of sugar factories for hearing their point of view. The notice may be given electronically or digitally or otherwise and shall be deemed as final. Likewise, the DC of the concerned district may fix the retail price of the sweetener after hearing the representatives of traders as well as consumers.