ISLAMABAD - Economic Monitoring Committee Tuesday directed the Industries Ministry to come up with proposals to import raw sugar before December to avoid another sugar crisis. The Economy Monitoring Committee met under the chair of Shaukat Tarin, Adviser to PM on Finance. The Adviser directed the Ministry of Industries to firm up its import proposals till Dec 2008 after revisiting existing stock position. He said additional sweetness requirements would be met through local mobilisation and imports on need basis only. The EMC had already directed to release 50,000 tones sugar in the market to stabilise its prices, which shot up to Rs 40 per kg from an average Rs 30. The Ministry of Industries briefed the EMC about proposal to import raw sugar to meet any anticipated shortfall. The Adviser asked the sub-Committee on gas supply strategy during winter season to expedite its work while incorporating all stakeholders. He asked Petroleum Ministry to rationalize gas demand and supply system on national network for reaching an out of box solution in a way that national industry does not suffer in terms of productivity. The Ministry of Petroleum was further advised to bring forward a comprehensive gas load distribution proposal taking into account all stakeholders' needs. The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock briefed the EMC on existing wheat stock position. To date it has imported 17,50,000 tones of wheat that is being transported up country to facilitate convenient availability in the open market. The MINFAL further informed the EMC that currently it had a balance stock of 2.978 million tones. The Adviser directed the MINFAL to recast its existing policy implementation framework on supplementing its existing stock position in a manner that people face no inconvenience. He further advised the MINFAL to devise a set of wheat distribution proposals in a way that all the four provinces face no shortage. He said the government approval may be obtained after firming up all possible options on the subject that included Federal Government's projected role in MINFAL to act as Equalizer in judicious distribution of wheat stocks to facilitate common man. The MINFAL informed the EMC that it has about one million tones of DAP in stocks that could adequately address nationwide farmers' demands. It further briefed the EMC about domestic demand of 7,30,000 tones of urea to meet local consumption. It includes a combination of domestic production and projected import. The Adviser asked the MINFAL to put up its urea and DAP specific recommendations on all policy issues within two weeks for the EMC consideration.