‘Indian sugar fit for human consumption’

ISLAMABAD—Indian High Commission here said Friday that Indian sugar imported into Pakistan is fit for human consumption and Lahore High Court has rightly recognised this.
The Indian HC Spokesman stated that some recent sugar consignments from India have not been released by Lahore Customs because of misleading reports about the quality of the sugar and claims by some interested parties that it was unfit for human consumption. During the 2006-07 season, Pakistan imported 7.5 lakh tons of sugar from India which exported 16.4 lakh tons of sugar worldwide last year. “As per FAO/WHO (Codex) standards, minimum sulphur dioxide (SO-2) content permitted in plantation or Mill White is 70 MG/KG. Over a period of time, Indian producers have achieved better technical efficiency SO-2 and content now varies between 15 MG/KG to 30 MG/KG only”, the spokesman said. “The sugar (ICUSMA units) prescribed in the Codex standard is less than or equal to 150”, he said, adding that Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) tests have validated that both SO-2 content and ICUSMA rating of the Indian sugar held up in Lahore are within the Codex standards.—APP