Duty-free import of raw sugar allowed till Mar 2010: Pawar

The government today allowed duty-free import of raw sugar without export obligation for further eight months to augment availability of the sweetener in the domestic market.     

The Centre also gave permission to private trade to import refined sugar at zero-duty, which was so far restricted to public sector trading firms STC, MMTC and PEC. However, the 10 lakh tonnes quantitative restriction remains on the import.     

Announcing the decisions in the Rajya Sabha, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said duty-free import of white sugar will be allowed till November 30, 2009, after the incentive expires on August 1.The raw sugar import at zero duty under open general licence (OGL), which was valid till August 1, 2009, will now be allowed till March 31, 2010, he said in a statement.     

Under the OGL scheme, mills do not have the obligation of exporting the sugar at a later date.     

"With these decisions, domestic availability of sugar will get augmented and sugar prices in the country will remain reasonable," Pawar said.