CAIRO - Egypt's sugar reserves are sufficient until the end of 2024, an agriculture ministry official told Reuters on Sunday.

He added that the country is seeking to produce around 2.4-2.5 million tons of sugar this season, which ends in June for both sugar cane and beet.

Egypt needs to import only 600 thousand tons of sugar to achieve sufficiency this season, he added.

Last month, the cabinet approved a plan to import 1 million tons of sugar to alleviate the country's sugar shortage.

Egypt has grappled with a sugar crisis in recent months, with prices on the market soaring to above 50 Egyptian pounds ($1.05) per kg.

The recent surge in sugar prices has raised concerns among vendors and food and beverage companies, prompting them to stockpile their inventory.

The government has taken steps to resolve this crisis, including increasing the amounts of subsidised sugar on the market, implementing initiatives to reduce prices, imposing temporary bans on exports, and tightening its control measures.

($1 = 47.7200 Egyptian pounds)

(Reporting by Momen Saeed Atallah, Writing by Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Hugh Lawson)