Karachi – Sheikh Umer Rehan, Chairman of the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA), has expressed grave concern over the non-payment of billions of rupees in outstanding dues owed to ghee and cooking oil manufacturers by the now-defunct Utility Stores Corporation (USC). These payments, pending for several months, have pushed the industry into a deep financial crisis, threatening the continuity of production and raising fears of potential shutdowns.
Rehan stated that this critical issue has been brought repeatedly to the attention of senior government officials and relevant ministers, yet no concrete progress has been made. “Due to the delay in payments, the working capital of ghee and oil manufacturers remains stuck, severely impacting cash flow and creating unsustainable financial pressure,” he said.
He urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, to take immediate notice and devise a permanent solution. “If the current situation continues, many ghee mills will be forced to shut down operations, leading to serious disruptions in the national supply of ghee and cooking oil,” Rehan warned.
Highlighting the recent closure of the Utility Stores Corporation by the government, the PVMA chairman pointed out that manufacturers’ substantial investments remain trapped. “Despite supplying subsidized products under government directives, mills have not been paid. The dissolution of USC without settling these liabilities has only worsened the crisis,” he added.
Rehan called on the government to urgently arrange for the clearance of these outstanding dues to protect the industry from further damage and ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential edible oil products to the public.
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