The federal government decided on Sunday to fully deregulate the sugar sector.

A special committee headed by Federal Power Minister Awais Leghari has prepared its recommendations. Federal Minister for Food Security Rana Tanveer said the recommendations for sugar-sector deregulation would be presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within the next two days.

Rana Tanveer Hussain said that the government intends to deregulate the sugar sector from end to end, adding that the import and export quota would end. He said the government seeks price determination through import and export market forces.

The minister said several sugar mills have already begun crushing and more than 36 mills have switched on their boilers. He said stock remains available even if crushing continues until the first week of December. He added that the FBR portal for the sale of imported sugar has not been closed.

"Half of the imported sugar has been sold and half remains. Imported sugar is sold like local sugar, and market forces will decide whether sugar is imported or exported," he maintained.