Amidst escalating sugar prices, and festival season approaching, the Government of Gujarat on Thursday declared to exempt imported sugar from value added tax (VAT) for a year, officials release said.

“Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has decided to exempt imported sugar from VAT(existing rate 4%) to ensure sufficient supply to the people considering scarcity of sugar due to lower production in the country at present.” the official release said.

The decision will help those who want to import sugar and people at large as the festival season is near, the statement further said.