NASEEABAD: The Balochistan government has implemented a complete ban on the transportation of sugar into the province without a mandatory No-Objection Certificate (NOC).
The directive was issued by the Department of Industries and Commerce, with Deputy Commissioner Jaffarabad, Khalid Khan, enforcing the order. He stated that sugar dealers have been illegally moving sugar into Balochistan in violation of established rules, a practice he warned would “not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
The Deputy Commissioner has instructed all relevant authorities, including the district administration and police, to strictly monitor the movement of sugar from other provinces. He has given clear orders that no vehicle carrying sugar should be allowed to enter Balochistan without a valid NOC issued by the provincial government.
To prevent smuggling and illegal supply, staff at all check posts in Jaffarabad district have been directed to thoroughly inspect sugar-laden vehicles. The administration has described the matter as urgent and has demanded full cooperation from all departments to ensure the strict implementation of the government’s orders.
Recently a tensions flared between Punjab and Balochistan after the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security learned that the Punjab Seed Corporation had stopped supplying seeds to Balochistan amid a severe nationwide shortage.
During the meeting, Balochistan’s agriculture secretary raised the issue before the committee, while the Federal Seed Certification Department confirmed that only 4,000 tonnes of seed were available against the national requirement of 68,000 tonnes.
The committee directed the Ministry of National Food Security to convene a meeting with the provincial secretaries of Punjab and Balochistan to resolve the issue.
The ministry told the panel that it had instructed all provinces to enforce seed regulations through their agriculture extension departments to ensure a steady supply of quality seeds. However, only Punjab had implemented the directive. The committee ordered the ministry to send formal notices to all provinces and require written responses within 15 days.
Members of the committee also voiced concern over the rising prices of fertilisers, particularly DAP and urea, which have surged from Rs12,000 to Rs15,000 per bag. They urged the government to intervene and curb hoarding and market manipulation.
To protect farmers’ incomes, the committee proposed introducing minimum support prices for sugarcane and other key crops. It criticised delays in sugar mill procurement, saying they have discouraged crop rotation and pushed prices down.
The minister said the government had reached an agreement with sugar millers to ensure timely and fair payments to growers. He added that the government would make storage facilities accessible through bank financing schemes.
