Millers 'seek' approval to export 1 million tonnes of sugar
- By Web Desk -
- May 10, 2026
The owners of sugar mills have sought permission to export 10 lakh tonnes of sugar, ARY News reported on Sunday, citing sources within the Ministry of Industries and Production.
Officials said that detailed stock figures of sugar have already been submitted to the ministry for review. Industry sources claim that exporting surplus stock could generate more than one billion dollars in foreign exchange earnings.
However, the sugar industry has warned that if exports are not allowed, mills may face financial losses due to excess stock levels.
Sources in the ministry stated that sugar mill owners would be required to guarantee that domestic prices would not increase before any export approval is granted. The government, they added, will not permit exports without such assurances.
Officials also recalled that last year’s approval to export 700,000 tonnes of sugar contributed to a rise in domestic prices, with sugar reportedly selling between Rs120 and Rs200 per kilogram at the time.
Earlier, the Pakistan government reinstated an 18 per cent sales tax on imported sugar, according to a notification issued.
The concession had originally been introduced in August 2025 to improve domestic sugar availability. At the time, the sales tax on imported sugar was reduced from 18 per cent to 0.25 per cent.
The notification stated that the tax relief applied exclusively to sugar imported by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), under a government-approved plan to import 500,000 tonnes of the commodity.