Sugar prices in Sindh, particularly in Karachi, have spiked again, with wholesale rates rising from Rs. 180 to Rs. 183 per kg and retail prices reaching Rs. 190–195 per kg, according to Abdul Rauf Ibrahim, Chairman of the Grocers and Wholesalers Association.

The sudden halt in sugar supply from interior Sindh has disrupted market balance, despite ample stock availability, fueling allegations of artificial shortages orchestrated by the sugar mafia to inflate prices. Ibrahim noted that just days ago, on Friday, sugar prices in Karachi’s Jodia Bazaar wholesale market had dropped by Rs. 5 per kg, only to rebound sharply at the start of the business week.

He accused sugar mill owners of withholding supply and manipulating ex-mill rates to blackmail the market, while the government watches silently. Ibrahim lamented that the government’s inability to curb the sugar mafia stems from influential politicians owning sugar mills, rendering regulatory action ineffective.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reported an average national sugar price of Rs. 188.44 per kg, with major cities like Karachi, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi seeing retail rates hit Rs. 200 per kg. Ibrahim warned that if the supply disruption persists, Karachi could soon see retail prices climb to Rs. 200 per kg, much like the trends in other cities.