KARACHI: The lowest bid for import of 50,000 tons of sugar to the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) at $723 per ton (C&F) has confused the sugar millers to procure 0.7 million tons sugar to meet sugar crisis. According to Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA), the international sugar prices soared to $732 per ton, but the offer for 50,000 tons sugar at $723.20 /ton has confused the millers to procure 0.7 million tons sugar in the country. The millers smelled a conspiracy behind the gap of $117 per ton in the first and the last bids in response of TCP tender, which were opened on December 31, 2009. Sources told Business Recorder that sugar millers were afraid of government intervention in the market after import of the commodity, and decided not to import 0.7 million tons sugar from the international market. They feel that the offer for import of 50,000 tons sugar at $723.20 (C&F) per ton a conspiracy of the government against the private sector, which was tasked to procure 0.7 million tons sugar. Talking to Business Recorder, Iskandar Khan said it was not possible that sugar would be imported at $723.20 per ton, because the cost of offer is much lower than the cost of the commodity in the international market. He said that the World Base Trading FZE Dubai/Singapore agreed to supply 50,000 tons sugar at $723.20 per ton while Louis Dreyfus Trading Limited had quoted $840.21 per ton for the same quantity. "The difference of $117.01 between the two quotations had confused the private importers," he added.