Pakistan, Aug. 21 -- The government's decision to export 108,000 metric tons of sugar from the stocks held by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan is a welcome step for the millers, not farmers. It can help reduce government-held stocks and may bring some relief to the market. The Economic Coordination Committee approved the export through international tenders under the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.

The sugar is part of the remaining stock from around 300,000 metric tons imported last year. This is where the government needs to ask a basic question: why did Pakistan need to import sugar in the first place?

Exporting surplus sugar can be a sensible decision when domestic supplies are sufficient. However, importing...