Islamabad, May 25 :

Pakistan is likely to face a shortfall of around 900,000 tonnes of refined sugar in the production year starting November, making further buying from India probable, industry and trade officials said.

Zaka Ashraf, chairman of private Pakistan Sugar Mills Association, said the shortfall next year was expected to be lower than this year’s 1.32 million tonnes, but would again leave the country searching for sugar in the world market.

Over half of Pakistan’s imports came from India following removal of a four-year long ban on Indian sugar last year after an improvement in relations between the two neighbours. Industry officials say domestic demand will be around four million tonnes in the next production season, up from current 3.8 million tonnes.