Govt will consider allowing more sugar exports: Thomas

India is expected to have a surplus production

Buoyed by higher sugar output, Food Minister K V Thomas today said the government will consider allowing more exports of the sweetener in the current marketing year ending September.

The government has already permitted export of 3 million tonnes of sugar in three equal tranches in the 2011-12 marketing year (October-September) as the country is expected to have a surplus production.

"We will consider more sugar exports in the coming EGoM (Empowered Group of Ministers) meet as our production is good," Thomas told reporters on the sidelines of the Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Awards.

The minister said sugar production is expected to rise this year.

"We are not against allowing some more quantity of sugar exports as our position is good. Production is expected to increase from 24.67 million tonnes to 25.5 million tonnes this year," he noted.

According to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), the country's sugar production stood at 24.63 million tonnes till April 15 in the current season. The industry body maintains that production will be 26 million tonnes in this marketing year.

The Food Ministry estimated the output of the sweetener in the 2012-13 sugar season to be at current year's level.

"According to the data we have got from Agriculture Ministry, sugar production next year is expected to be at current year's level" Thomas said.