Minister assures sugar industry of resolving issues

ISLAMABAD: Commerce Minister Jam Kamal on Monday met separately with sugar millers and ethanol manufacturers with the former seeking unrestricted molasses exports and the latter requesting that it be converted into a value addition before being shipped out of the country. The meetings held at the commerce ministry aimed at fostering dialogue and finding feasible solutions to the challenges faced by these sugar industries. Senior commerce ministry officials and representatives of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) and Ethanol Manufacturer Association attended the meeting. An official announcement said the PSMA representatives voiced apprehensions regarding the anticipated increase in tariffs for molasses exports. They highlighted the importance of encouraging molasses exports to bolster foreign exchange reserves.