ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has reportedly scrapped the tender for importing 100,000 metric tons of sugar.
Earlier, on August 3, the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) had floated a tender seeking to procure the specified quantity of sugar. However, the bidding process failed to yield favorable results, as none of the three submitted proposals met the government’s strict requirements.
Authorities emphasized that all procurement procedures must be transparent and aligned with official standards, assuring that neither pricing nor quality benchmarks would be compromised.
Insiders revealed that the offered prices for fine granulated sugar ranged between $539 and $567 per ton, while medium-grade sugar was quoted at $599 per ton. These prices were deemed too high by the government and did not align with the desired quality or size criteria.
Besides the inflated prices, the total cost of import would have further increased due to port-related expenses, including handling charges at Karachi Port, unloading, trucking, and inland distribution costs.
Adding to the complications, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reportedly raised concerns over Pakistan’s plans to offer tax exemptions and subsidies on imported sugar. The IMF warned that such fiscal measures could threaten the stability of the ongoing $7 billion bailout agreement.
Government insiders noted that the proposed subsidy—Rs55 per kilogram on imported sugar priced at Rs249/kg—was a key point of contention for the IMF