Right decisions greatly help the beleaguered sugar industry.

Interview with Mr. Riaz Javed Suleri - Resident Director, Faran Sugar Mills Limited

PAGE: Tell me something about yourself, please.

Riaz Javed Suleri: I have been associated with the sugar industry since 1983. Firstly, in the public sector and for the last two decades in the private sector. At present, I am working as Resident Director at Faran Sugar Mills, which is a progressive organization with special emphases on technological development at the project as well as in the field.

Capacity enhancement from 5,500 tons per day crushing capacity to 10,500 TCD with the addition of the latest equipment and automation are a few main examples to quote.

Sugarcane development is the backbone of the sugar industry. We at Faran, presently indulge in development activities with the active participation of growers of the area, which ultimately consequence an increase in yield per hectare to the tune of 75%. This was possible because of consistent efforts, in coordination with different sugarcane research institutes of the country, like the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, NARC, Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Sugarcane Research Center, Thatta and the recently developed productivity enhancement institute of PARC at Thatta. Educating sugarcane growers with the latest agronomical practices is a regular feature.

The updated knowledge is being disseminated in seminars, workshops, village meetings, training sessions and publications. Laser leveling, solar tube wells, preparation of land technology, sugarcane planter, ridges, latest cropping patterns, soil sampling, double cropping chip bud technology, raised-bed nurseries and introduction of latest irrigation technologies, like, drip irrigation, sprinkling, skip irrigation etc, are being exercised in the area of our operation, which definitely added value and improved economy of the growers.

PAGE: How was 2022 for the sugar sector in Pakistan?

Riaz Javed Suleri: The sugar sector has always suffered due to the political decisions of the governments. An increase in the price of sugar is always attributed to the weak hold of the government on commodity prices and ultimately hampers the timely decision.

The year 2022 is a glaring example of such a situation. The country produced 8.2 million tons of sugar, which is well above the national consumption of 6.2 million tons.

In presence of the Track and Trace System of the Federal Board of Revenue, the production figures are easily available just after the...