The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said on Monday that the country has no sugar shortage. Prices in retail markets are expected to decline in the coming days. Sugar has become more than 20% costlier over the past month, reaching ₹60 per kilogram. Following this, the government approved duty-free imports to provide relief. Approval for 1 million tonnes of duty-free imports On August 20, the central government allowed the duty-free import of 1 million tonnes of raw sugar to increase market supply and control prices. The National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories has also described domestic supplies as adequate. NFCSF President Prakash Naiknavare said that the federation has retained its estimate of net sugar production at 2.79 crore tonnes for the 2025-26 season. Of this, around 24 lakh tonnes of sugar has been diverted for ethanol production. India produces around 3 crore tonnes of sugar every year. First consignments may arrive before October 15 According to the NFCSF, some consignments of imported sugar may arrive at Indian ports before October 15. Prakash said that Thailand itself is facing a sugar shortage, making Brazil the only option at present. It takes 40 to 45 days for ships to arrive in India from Brazil, after which the sugar is transported to the mills. This timeline will depend on DGFT approval, the letter of credit, and port congestion. Relaxation possible in October 31 deadline Commenting on the government’s October 31 deadline, Naiknavare said that it could be relaxed. Shipments that are already in transit are highly likely to be allowed to arrive even after the stipulated date. Coastal States to get relief first Coastal states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh will receive imported raw sugar first. Sugar will then be transported to landlocked states in North India from these ports by rail or road. Exports declined despite the quota Naiknavare informed that due to unfavorable prices in the international market, India exported only 800,000 tonnes of sugar out of the fixed quota of 2 million tonnes. Even without any restrictions, exports would not have exceeded 1 million tonnes. The central government has banned sugar exports from May 13 to September 30 to increase domestic availability and control prices. Knowledge Box: How will edible sugar be made from raw sugar? Raw sugar coming from Brazil cannot be used directly. It will be processed at the country’s refineries and sugar mills and converted into white granulated sugar, after which it will enter the retail market. Post navigation TCS to acquire Porsche’s IT company:100% stake deal worth ₹3,573 cr; AI Mobility Centre to be set up in India
