ISLAMABAD: In a move raising serious concerns over transparency and fairness, the federal government has altered national sugar quality standards on an emergency basis, just days before finalizing an international tender for refined white sugar. The sudden change reportedly made on the direction of the Prime Minister’s Office has triggered speculation that the new specifications were tailored to benefit specific importers.
The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) revised its specifications for sugar on July 9, introducing strict limitations on the permissible grain size for imported sugar under the current tender. According to the tender terms now in effect, only two grain sizes Small (Fine) and Medium are acceptable, raising eyebrows over the exclusion of Large Grain sugar, which is widely regarded as superior in quality and more stable in transport and storage.
New Sugar Import Specifications:
Grain Size / Mesh (mm):
- Small (Fine): 0.60–1.00 mm
- Medium: 1.00–1.70 mm
- ≥ 70% retention on 0.60 mm sieve
Sources within the Ministry of Science and Technology and industry stakeholders confirm that this is the first time in Pakistan’s history that sugar grain size has been made a qualifying criterion for import. In past tenders, sugar was imported without such restrictions, relying on internationally accepted International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA) standards rather than localized mesh specifications.
“This sudden move is highly suspicious,” said a Karachi-based sugar importer. “Why now? Why exclude a grain type that is globally considered premium? The way the specs were introduced just before the tender makes it hard to believe this is a coincidence.”
Insiders claim the PSQCA did not initiate the revision on its own. According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, the Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology received explicit directions from the Prime Minister’s Office to alter the sugar specifications ahead of the TCP tender which he promptly relayed to the PSQCA with instructions for immediate compliance.
“There was no stakeholder consultation, no scientific rationale offered, and no public explanation. It was a top-down instruction, executed at record speed,” said one PSQCA insider.
The exclusion of large grain sugar which is preferred by many institutional buyers and often retains quality better in long-distance shipping has significantly narrowed the field of eligible international suppliers. Trade analysts argue this could tilt the playing field in favor of a few pre-identified importers who already have access to sugar in the 0.60–1.70 mm mesh range.
“This change is not about public interest or food safety,” said a former commerce ministry official. “It’s a gatekeeping tactic, creating artificial barriers in the name of standards to restrict competition.”
While the government has maintained silence on the matter, the sudden revision coupled with the timing of the international tender has deepened suspicions of backdoor facilitation and policy manipulation. The deadline for submission of bids is July 22, leaving little time for new suppliers to adjust or challenge the criteria.
As domestic sugar prices remain high and public trust in procurement practices continues to erode, the altered standards may come under scrutiny not just from traders but from accountability and regulatory bodies in the near future.
