FIA to monitor sugar mills during crushing season

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been tasked to monitor sugar mills during the ongoing crushing season, ARY News reported.

Following the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, FIA has formed special teams to oversee sugar production and stock records in mills.

The FIA teams will maintain daily sales records of sugar mills to prevent tax evasion. Director FIA said that the record of cane deliveries and the number of trolleys arriving at mills will be documented.

In Lahore, teams have been stationed at three sugar mills under the head of Zonal Director Sarfraz Khan.

FIA authorities have directed the teams to maintain data responsibly and with integrity as curbing tax evasion is an important national duty, and no negligence will be tolerated.

All sugar mills have been crushing season since November 21.

The decision to start crushing season from November 21 was taken during a meeting of Sugar Advisory Board chaired by the Federal Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain in Islamabad.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said action would taken against mills that fail to comply with the government’s orders.

Upon the request of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association for permission to export additional sugar, the minister said that the government cannot grant further permission until the first export quota is completed.

Besides, the Sugar Advisory Board reviewed the estimates for the sugarcane crop and the overall stock position of sugar for the upcoming crushing season. The board expressed satisfaction with the current sugar prices in the local market.