CAIRO- Egypt aims to import 400,000-500,000 tonnes of sugar in 2021, the head of the the agriculture ministry's sugar crop council told Reuters on Sunday.

The country has imposed a temporary ban on sugar imports aimed at protecting its local industry, but exceptions may be made if approved by the trade and supply ministers.

Egypt's state-owned sugar buyer, Egyptian Sugar and Integrated Industries Company (ESIIC), set a tender on Dec. 13 to buy 50,000 tonnes of Brazilian raw cane sugar.

(Reporting by Momen Saeed Atallah Writing by Nadine Awadalla Editing by David Goodman ) ((Nadine.Awadalla@thomsonreuters.com;))