After the Supreme Court’s orders to make sugar available at 40 rupees per kilogram, sugar mills have again cut off sugar supply to dealers, resulting in a shortage of sugar in the country. The situation is particularly disappointing in the NWFP where many towns are left with no sugar in shops.

In Hangu town, sugar was made available at Utility Stores for 38 rupees per kilogram. It wasn’t long before hoards of people grabbed as much as they could from the two Utility Stores in the town. Now, most of the stores have no sugar; those who have some are selling it for 60 rupees a kilo, and you can’t get more than a kilo at a time – a good policy given the needs of consumers in a neighborhood.

The supply of sugar is expected to restart soon as Sugar Mills Association has reportedly agreed to do so. But the news that official sources are pointing towards a more serious sugar crisis in the country in the coming weeks is still the cause of concern for many people, including those working for medicine companies.