LAHORE — Despite a steady increase in sugar supply, consumers in Lahore are still paying well above the official rates, exposing the Punjab government’s failure to rein in profiteering at the retail level.
While wholesale markets are reportedly following the government’s fixed price of Rs173 per kilogram, residents across various neighborhoods continue to face inflated rates — with sugar being sold between Rs190 and Rs200 per kilogram at local shops and small vendors.
Supply Improves, But Relief Eludes Consumers
Since July 25, Lahore has received over 1,900 tonnes of sugar, with another 1,700 tonnes expected shortly, according to district officials. On paper, the supply situation is showing improvement, which should have helped stabilise the market. But in practice, that relief has yet to trickle down to the average shopper.
This gap between supply and actual retail pricing raises questions about the effectiveness of price enforcement in residential and less-regulated commercial zones, where vendors often operate with minimal oversight.
Crackdown Yields Arrests, But Black Market Persists
In response to the ongoing price violations, Punjab’s authorities have ramped up enforcement efforts. The provincial government has carried out more than 30,000 inspections across various districts. As a result, 2,092 people have been arrested and 361 cases registered for violating price control laws and engaging in profiteering.
Despite these numbers, the impact on street-level pricing remains limited — suggesting that enforcement, while aggressive on paper, is failing to deter retailers from exploiting the market.
What’s Going Wrong?
The persistence of high prices, even with increased supply and widespread enforcement, points to deeper structural issues in how the sugar market is regulated and monitored. Analysts say a lack of consistent oversight in neighborhood shops and the presence of informal supply chains make it easy for retailers to bypass official pricing.
Until enforcement extends beyond wholesale hubs and reaches the smaller, everyday vendors that serve most of the population, consumers are unlikely to feel the benefit of improved sugar availability.
In short, while the government’s actions appear forceful on the surface, their failure to bring real price relief shows that paperwork alone won’t fix market distortion.
