Lift the ban on sugar exports

The sector needs an outlet for the surplus stock. Government must allow export; otherwise, the industry will needlessly be pushed into the red

With the production of sugarcane, sugar, and cane-based ethanol set to scale new peaks in the current sugar season, which began this month, there seems little reason to persist with the moratorium on sugar exports imposed in May last. In fact, an early removal of this ban and announcement of the sugar export policy for 2022-23 would greatly help the industry to firm up its production plans and strike export deals with prospective importers. The international prices of this sweetener, after remaining volatile in the past few months, are expected to soften perceptibly by May next when fresh stocks from