Kissan Ittehad seeks 1m tonnes in sugar exports

Lahore, September 5th, 2026 - The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) is urgently seeking permission to export 1 million tonnes of surplus sugar, amid fears of a major revenue collapse for farmers reminiscent of the 2017-18 crisis. At a press conference, PKI President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar stressed that a record sugarcane harvest covering more than 3.5 million acres is poised for harvest, with production expected to increase by 10-15% year-on-year.

Currently, there is a stockpile of 1.3 million tonnes of sugar in domestic reserves. Without prompt export authorization, the excess supply could drive prices down and force growers to sell below costs. Sugarcane contributes 0.8% of Pakistan's GDP and 3.2% of agricultural value addition, and although production reached a record 89.45 million tonnes in FY26 with higher yields of 780 maunds per acre, productivity is still below its potential, leaving farmers exposed to policy delays.

To tackle the sector's long-standing issues, PKI has presented four policy demands to the government: a fully market-driven sugar sector, a ban on new mills until existing capacity reaches 75% utilization, a minimum 50-mile distance between sugar mills, and the repeal of all provincial sugar regulations. Khokhar argued that these measures would prioritize productivity improvements at the farm level, ensuring long-term profitability and sustainable growth throughout the sugar supply chain.