Govt Allows 1.5 MT Sugar Exports
Sugar Exports: The government has decided to allow the export of 1.5 million tonnes of sugar for the 2025-26 sugar season, which begins in October. Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi gave this information on Sunday. In a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on November 7, Joshi said that the Union Food Ministry has also decided to remove 50 percent export duty on molasses. The Chief Minister was informed of the export decision while informing him about the steps taken by the central government to protect the interests of sugarcane farmers in the country.
India exported approximately 800,000 tonnes of sugar against the allocation of 1 million tonnes during the 2024-25 sugar season that ended in September.
Food Secretary Sanjiv Chopra recently stated that the government is considering allowing sugar exports due to excess stockpiles, as sugar use for ethanol production has been lower than expected. He said that sugar mills used only 3.4 million tonnes of sugar for ethanol production in 2024-25, significantly less than the estimated 4.5 million tonnes, resulting in higher opening stocks for the current season. Sanjeev Chopra said that sugar production is expected to reach 34 lakh tonnes in 2025-26, while the annual domestic demand is 285 lakh tonnes.
