Sugar

Retail sugar inflation reached 29.80% nationally in September, its highest level in the new CPI series, while wholesale inflation eased to 12.72% from 16.29% in August

State-run oil marketing companies have barred ethanol made from sugarcane juice, sugar syrup and B-heavy molasses from their latest procurement tender for the 2026-27 supply year for blending in petrol, as the government seeks to protect domestic sugar supplies while sustaining its nationwide petrol-blending programme. The tender, issued on October 16 by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) on behalf of oil marketing companies (OMCs), seeks bids for around 11 billion litres of ethanol for the supply year beginning November to meet the requirement of doping 20 per cent ethanol in petrol. It also cuts the incentive for maize-based ethanol, lowering the procurement price to Rs 68.86 per litre from Rs 71.86. "The Government of India has issued directions that sugar diversion for ethanol be reduced to zero for ethanol supply year 2026-27," the tender document said. "No offers have been sought for ethanol produced from sugarcane juice, sugar or sugar syrup and B-heavy molasses in this

The main culprit behind this cost escalation are rising prices of sugar and milk that go into making the sweets that are devoured during Diwali and Durga Puja

India has directed oil marketing companies to exclude sugar-based ethanol from the 2026-27 tender, setting sugar diversion at zero amid concerns over domestic sugar supplies and record-high prices.

Dealers can hold sugar for only 15 days from October 15 to November 30, while Kolkata and its extended metropolitan areas, along with Assam, have a 2,000-quintal limit

FSSAI has proposed a 365-day voluntary compliance window for front-of-pack nutrition labels, with red warnings for products exceeding prescribed salt, sugar or fat limits

The government on Friday said it has relaxed the stockholding limit for bulk sugar consumers to 30 days from the existing 15 days, as the festive season approaches and demand is expected to pick up

Gross sugar production will range from 29 million tons to 31 million tons in the year through September 2027, according to estimates from 11 traders, analysts and millers

Supreme Court asks food regulator to spell out quantitative thresholds and scientific basis for identifying packaged foods that would require front-of-pack warnings

Sugar imports continue to make commercial sense even as domestic prices of the sweetener soften, Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) President Niraj Shirgaokar said on Wednesday. His comments come against the backdrop of firming global sugar prices, after India, the world's second-largest sugar producer, last month permitted duty-free imports to shore up domestic supplies and keep retail prices in check ahead of the festival season. "Imports are still viable despite declining domestic prices," Shirgaokar told reporters on the sidelines of the fourth edition of The India Sugar & Bio-Energy Conference 2026. Ex-mill prices have fallen to Rs 43-44 a kg from a peak of Rs 65-67 a kg recorded two weeks ago, he said, adding that the impact on retail prices will take another one to two weeks to become visible. Among a slew of measures to rein in prices, the government last month allowed duty-free imports of 10 lakh tonnes of sugar. According to sources, mills have

The decision to import 1 MT of raw sugar after allowing exports earlier in the season has revived questions over crop estimates, policy predictability and the cost of repeated trade interventions

The Centre on Tuesday further tightened the stock holding limit for sugar dealers, cutting it from 4,000 quintals to 2,000 quintals, effective from September 15 to November 30, as it looked to rein in high retail prices of the sweetener. The stock holding limit of 4,000 quintals, first imposed on August 1, will, however, remain unchanged for Kolkata and its extended metropolitan areas, "considering the specific market requirements of the region", the food ministry said in a statement. The move is aimed at ensuring adequate availability of sugar in the domestic market and checking hoarding and speculative trading, the ministry added. Under the amended norms, a dealer cannot hold any stock for more than 30 days from the date of receipt, and cannot hold sugar, at any time, anywhere in the country, in excess of 2,000 quintals. Explaining the exemption for Kolkata, the ministry said the region sources sugar from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra and supplies it onward to the eastern and ...

Centre fixes a 1.3 million tonne sugar quota for September 1-15 as retail prices remain above Rs 60 per kg despite government measures to check the rise

Today's Best of BS Opinion examines rising sugar prices, AI-led credit assessment, global trade dualism, mounting US fiscal risks and China's reshaping of collective memory.

Amid criticism by opposition parties over rising prices of sugar ahead of festivals, Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Wednesday said it should in fact become very expensive, and added that people above 40 years of age should completely avoid its consumption. Ninety per cent of the people do not like sweets these days, he said, adding that he himself does not eat such items. Talking to reporters here, the BJP leader claimed that the prices of sugar were steadily falling. "Anyway, 90 per cent of people don't like sweets these days. Let me tell you, I don't eat sweets at all," he said. In a lighter vein, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, "I say that (sugar) should become very expensive. (Sugar) should only be available at cheap rates at government fair price shops for children...The elderly should not be given sugar at all." He said that doctors, especially Ayurvedic ones, do not consider it a good idea for people over 40 year of age to consume sugar. "If you a

No ethanol link to sugar price rise; millers jacking up rates, says govt

Retail sugar prices have shot up to Rs 70 per kg in Kolkata markets ahead of the festive season, traders said on Friday. Prices have surged by Rs 20 a kg in the past month alone, while the last four to five days have seen a sudden 10 per cent jump, they said. Sugar-associated products such as jaggery, batasa (sugar drop), and nakuldana are also witnessing a similar spike. The Centre on Thursday evening allowed sugar mills to import one million tonne of raw sugar, a measure last resorted to a decade ago, but its impact is yet to trickle down to retail markets, traders said. The government has also imposed a stockholding limit on bulk customers who consume more than 10 tonne of sugar a month, capping their stock at 15 days' consumption. Confederation of West Bengal Trade Association (CWBTA) president Sushil Poddar said there was no control over sugar mills, with wholesale prices already touching Rs 65 a kg. "I sold loose sugar at Rs 65 just three days ago, but today I can't sell bel

Dwarikesh Sugar Industries was the top laggard, falling 7.2 per cent, followed by Dalmia Bharat, which fell 6.4 per cent intra-day and Balrampur Chini Mills, which fell over 5 per cent on Friday.

Centre caps sugar stocks held by bulk consumers at 15 days' requirement as prices hit record highs; mills must disclose buyer-wise sales for August 17-19

India may import 1 mt of raw sugar at nil duty after a decade as low stocks and higher consumption push domestic prices to a record high ahead of the festival season