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ISLAMABAD: The Sugar Advisory Board has approved the import of 500,000 tons of sugar to tackle the ongoing shortage and stabilize market prices.
The decision was taken during an important meeting of the board, chaired by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain. The minister said that due to the declining sugar supply across the country, importing sugar had become inevitable. He assured that formal procedures for the import would be completed in the next few days.
Rana Tanveer emphasized that the government is taking immediate steps to address the shortfall and added that the imported sugar will be brought into the market as soon as possible to provide relief to consumers.
The move comes in response to rising sugar prices and supply constraints that have affected the domestic market. The Ministry of National Food Security, while confirming the decision taken on June 20, stated that importing sugar was necessary to maintain a balance in retail prices.
It is important to note that the current government had earlier allowed the export of a total of 750,000 metric tons of sugar between June and October 2024. The last such permission was granted in October, when the government allowed the export of 500,000 metric tons.
At the time of export approvals, the federal government had set a condition that if the sugar retail price exceeded Rs145.15 per kilogram, all exports would be halted immediately. However, between December 2024 and February 2025, sugar exports continued even as retail prices kept rising.
This situation led to concerns about local shortages and prompted the government to now reverse its earlier stance by permitting large-scale imports to fill the gap in domestic supply.
Authorities hope that the new imports will ease pressure on prices and ensure sufficient sugar availability in the local markets.
