Pakistan gets offers in 200,000 tons sugar tender, traders say

A laborer unloads sacks of sugar from a supply truck at the main wholesale market in Karachi on February 19, 2012. (REUTERS/File)
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Updated 21 August 2025
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Pakistan gets offers in 200,000 tons sugar tender, traders say

  • Lowest offer in tender quoted at $560 per ton c&f, with bids still under review
  • Pakistan plans to import 500,000 tons overall after retail sugar prices surged sharply

HAMBURG: The lowest price offered in an international tender from Pakistan to buy 200,000 metric tons of sugar on Thursday was believed to be $560 a metric ton cost and freight included (c&f), European traders said in initial assessments.

Offers in the tender from the state trading agency Trading Corporation of Pakistan are still being considered and no purchase has yet been reported, they said.

The TCP can negotiate for several days in tenders before deciding whether to purchase.

The lowest offer was said to have been submitted by trading house Bare for small grade sugar. Bare also offered $580 for medium grade sugar, with a total 187,000 tons offered.

Three tender participants all offered 25,000 tons of small grade sugar: Sucden at $579, Dreyfus at $581.50 and Cofco at $592 all per ton c&f.

ED&F Man offered 32,000 tons of small grade at $579 a ton c&f and also 27,400 tons of small grade at $569 a ton c&f.

Al Khaleej Sugar was believed to have offered 60,000 tons of small grade at $572.30 and 30,000 tons of medium grade at $582.30 a ton c&f.

The TCP’s tender seeks price offers for fine, small and medium grade sugar, all for arrival in Pakistan by October 31.

Pakistan’s government has approved plans to import 500,000 tons of sugar to help to maintain price stability after retail sugar prices in the country rose sharply.

The TCP bought a total of 105,000 tons in its previous sugar tender reported on August 14.

Reports reflect assessments from traders and further estimates of prices and volumes are still possible later. 


Pakistan-origin fintech holds workforce pay workshop in Saudi Arabia

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Pakistan-origin fintech holds workforce pay workshop in Saudi Arabia

  • Riyadh event promotes earned wage access to support employee liquidity
  • Abhi Saudi says flexible pay models can boost retention and productivity

KARACHI: Pakistan-origin fintech Abhi Saudi hosted a workforce-focused workshop in Riyadh, the company said in a statement on Thursday, bringing together senior business leaders to discuss employee financial well-being and flexible pay solutions as Saudi Arabia advances reforms under Vision 2030.

Abhi, a financial technology firm founded in Pakistan and operating in the Gulf through Alraedah Digital Solutions, provides earned wage access (EWA) and small and medium enterprise (SME) financing solutions.

EWA allows employees to withdraw a portion of their already-earned salary before the official payday, helping them manage short-term liquidity needs without relying on traditional credit.

Abhi partners with thousands of firms across the region, offering payroll-linked financial services to employers and their staff.

“The event focused on modern workforce strategies and flexible pay solutions, highlighting how financial well-being initiatives such as Earned Wage Access (EWA) are supporting improved employee engagement, retention, and productivity while aligning with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030,” the company said.

The “Wages Well-being Workshop” brought together professionals from sectors including telecommunications, banking, consulting and human resources to examine how changing workforce expectations are influencing compensation models and employer responsibilities amid the Kingdom’s broader economic transformation.

According to Abhi, discussions centered on the organizational impact of rigid salary structures, the link between financial stress and workplace performance and how flexible pay models could enhance financial stability without adding operational costs for employers.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform agenda seeks to diversify the economy, strengthen private-sector participation and modernize labor market practices, with financial inclusion and workforce productivity forming key pillars of the strategy.