Iran to import 800,000 tonnes of sugar

Iran will have to import 800,000 tonnes of sugar by March 2007, almost double the estimates for the year to March 2006, the head of Iran's Government Trading Corporation (GTC) Mohammad Sadeq Mofatteh told state television on Saturday.
"The GTC will import 450,000 tonnes of the 800,000 tonnes," Mofatteh said adding that the private sector will be allowed to import the remaining 350,000 tonnes with the GTC standing by as a market supervisor that controls the prices.
"However, if the private sector does not import the remaining 350,000 tonnes we will import that too." Mofatteh told state television. Iranian officials had previously said sugar import requirements for the current fiscal year to March 2006 would be about 450,000 tonnes.