Egypt Edition 
UAE Edition 
Saudi Edition 
MENA <> India Corridor 
Logistics (MENA) 
Climate (MENA) 
Share
The Investment Ministry has decided to ban the import of refined sugar for commercial purposes for three months, except with prior import approvals for the required quantities, to be signed off by the investment and supply ministers, according to a decision seen by EnterpriseAM.
(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)
The decision comes amid a surge in local sugar production, which has driven prices down significantly due to market supply and demand dynamics and increased competition among domestic producers, a government source told EnterpriseAM. This has left little room for additional competition from imported sugar in the local market, the source added.
Producers have been struggling with oversupply, a sentiment sugar manufacturers expressed to the investment minister in a meeting that preceded the decision. Producers highlighted that the current oversupply, coupled with halted exports, has led to losses, the source said.
REMEMBER- It wasn’t long ago that we had thecomplete opposite problem, with many of us in 2023 and 2024 going without the sweet stuff in our morning cup of Joe as sugar became increasingly hard to find on supermarket shelves. At the time, insiders blamed unorganized distribution channels, a volatile pre-float exchange rate, and declining local production.
Sugar prices have fallen sharply in recent weeks, pushing down consumer prices but causing losses for manufacturers. The price per ton dropped to EGP 21-22k from around EGP 27-28k, while input costs have continued to rise — prompting calls to curb imports that threaten the competitiveness of local producers, member of the Chambers of Commerce’s Food Division Hazem El Menoufy told EnterpriseAM.
The ban aims to support domestic production and encourage reliance on local output, which should help strengthen the economy and ease pressure on foreign currency, El Menoufy said. The decision is expected to help stabilize prices over the medium term, improve the competitiveness of local producers, and ensure steady market availability.
