The government is considering allowing sugar exports in the 2025-26 marketing year, as surplus stocks accumulate due to lower-than-expected diversion of the sweetener for ethanol production, a top government official said on Wednesday. The country's sugar mills diverted only 3.4 million tonnes of sugar for ethanol manufacturing in 2024-25, well below the projected 4.5 million tonnes, Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra told PTI in an interview. This has resulted in high opening stocks for the current 2025-26 marketing year that runs from October to September, he said. Sugar production for 2025-26 is expected to reach 34 million tonnes against the annual domestic demand of 28.5 million tonnes, Chopra added. When asked about the industry's demands to allow exports as well as higher diversion for ethanol, Chopra said: "We are definitely having a surplus of sugar... We are considering allowing exports." He hinted that a decision might be taken soon, as the government would like to giv
India is estimated to have exported 7.75 lakh tonnes of sugar in the marketing season that ended September, trade body AISTA said on Sunday, urging the government to announce an early export quota for the new season. The sugar marketing season runs from October to September. Sugar exports for the 2024-25 marketing season in India were allowed on January 20, 2025. The total quantity permitted for export was 10 lakh tonnes. According to the All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA), mills have exported a total of 7.75 lakh tonne between February and September of the 2024-25 marketing season. Out of which, white sugar exports were at 6.13 lakh tonne, refined sugar 1.04 lakh tonne and raw sugar at 33,338 tonne till September this year. About 21,000 tonnes of raw sugar were delivered to the refinery in SEZ, considered to be deemed exports. Of the total exports undertaken so far, maximum shipments have been to Djibouti at 1.46 lakh tonnes, followed by Somalia at 1.35 lakh tonnes, Sri L
After a flurry of deals earlier in the season, India's overseas sugar sales slowed in recent months as supplies from Brazil increased and global sugar futures fell to their lowest level in over 4 yrs
A move by the second-largest sugar producer to allow overseas shipments could further weigh on world prices
India exported 5.16 lakh tonnes of sugar till June 6 of the ongoing 2024-25 marketing year with maximum shipments of 1,18,553 tonnes to Somalia, trade body AISTA said on Tuesday. The sugar marketing year runs from October to September. Sugar exports for the 2024-25 marketing year in India were allowed on January 20, 2025. The total quantity permitted for export is 10 lakh tonnes. According to the All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA), mills have exported a total of 5,16,782 tonnes of sugar till June 6 of the current marketing year. Out of which, white sugar exports were at 4.09 lakh tonnes, refined sugar 81,845 tonnes and raw sugar at 25,382 tonnes till June of this year. About 23,219 tonnes of sugar are under loading, it said in a statement. Of the total exports undertaken so far, maximum shipments have been to Somalia at 1,18,553 tonnes, followed by Sri Lanka at 76,401 tonnes, Afghanistan at 72,833 tonnes, and Djibouti at 69,609 tonnes. AISTA had recently said that total
India will not bar outbound shipments as the world's second-biggest producer will have enough stockpiles at the end of this season on Sept. 30, even after a drop in production
India last month allowed exports of 1 million metric tons of sugar during the current season to September 2025 to help mills of the world's second-biggest producer export surplus stocks
India may allow sugar exports after assessing the final sugarcane sowing and output in the 2024-25 season, as the world's biggest producer after Brazil is expecting a lower sugar output of 30 million tonnes next season, sources said. For the current 2023-24 season ending September, sugar production has reached 31.5 million tonnes so far, with the final output likely to touch 31.8 million tonnes as mills in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka wrap up crushing, the sources added. Last year, India produced 32.8 million tonnes of sugar. Sugar production in the 2024-25 season is estimated to be lower at 30 million tonnes due to lower sowing in Karnataka, as per trade estimate, the sources added. "The industry has demanded exports of 1 million tonnes of sugar. Since we are expecting lower sugar output next year and stocks are required for ethanol production, the priority of the government is to ensure available stock for domestic consumption as well as for ethanol," one of the sources said. "Expor
Government sources told Reuters in August that the South Asian country would ban mills from exporting sugar in the season beginning October
Additionally, the government is likely to extend the current restrictions on sugar exports indefinitely after October 31
India relies on rains to irrigate about half of its farmland, received 820 millimeters (32.3 inches) of rainfall during the June-September monsoon season, 6% less than the long-term
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is unlikely to export sugar in 2023-24 season as output will be less than a year earlier, Kona Haque, head of research at ED&F Man Commodities said on Thursday.
The government is unlikely to permit additional sugar exports this year as untimely rains have impacted the production in Maharashtra, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said on Thursday. The food ministry has allowed 6 million tonnes of sugar exports for the current 2022-23 marketing year (October-September). Out of which, about 4 million tonnes have been exported so far, as per the trade report. "We have a sugar production target of 38.6 million tonnes (including diversion for ethanol). Maybe production will go down by 2-3 lakh tonnes due to unseasonal rains in Maharashtra," Chopra told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference here. In view of likely fall in sugar output, the Secretary said, "Additional sugar export quota is unlikely to be allowed." Sugar production in India, the world's second largest sugar producing nation after Brazil, remained lower by three per cent at 29.96 million tonnes in the first six months of the 2022-23 marketing year ending September, as per the
The matter will be heard next on March 23
India has exported 27.83 lakh tonnes of sugar till February 9 of the ongoing 2022-23 marketing year, with Bangladesh and Indonesia being the top markets, trade body AISTA said on Thursday. Among other nations, India has exported 2.47 lakh tonnes of the sweetener to Djibouti, 2.46 lakh tonnes to Somalia and 2.06 lakh tonnes to the UAE during October-February 9 of the current marketing year, the All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) said in a statement. The sugar marketing year runs from October to September. The government has allowed export of 60 lakh tonnes till May of the 2022-23 marketing year. According to AISTA, mills have exported a total of 27,83,536 tonnes of sugar from October 1, 2022 to February 9 this year. About 4.24 lakh tonne is under loading, while 3.79 lakh tonne of sugar has been delivered to refineries, considered to be deemed export in the said period, it added. Sugar exports from India, the world's major sugar producing nation, stood at 112 lakh tonnes in t
Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday assured leaders from Maharashtra that the Centre would soon increase the export quota sugar and take steps to help the ailing sugar industry in the state. Shah gave the assurance during a meeting with Maharashtra BJP leaders, who also have stakes in the sugar cooperatives sector. The state leaders were part of a delegation led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis. "The export quota (for sugar) has been exhausted. Since Maharashtra is a coastal state, we can export sugar through our ports. The minister also took a constructive approach on the issue and assured us to increase the quota or take an appropriate decision in this regard," Fadnavis told reporters here. The meeting was attended by BJP leaders Raosaheb Patil Danve, Pankaja Munde, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Harshvardhan Patil, and Dhananjay Mahadik, among others. Shinde said the delegation apprised Shah about the difficulties faced by the
The government may consider increasing sugar export quota for the current 2022-23 marketing year after assessing the domestic production in January. In November, the government allowed export of 60 lakh tonnes of sugar for the 2022-23 marketing year (October-September). India exported a record 111 lakh tonnes of sugar in 2021-22 marketing year. On being asked if the government will consider increasing export quota, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said the ministry will assess the domestic production of sugar in January and then decide whether to raise the quota or not. The food secretary was speaking on the sidelines of Annual General Meeting (AGM) of industry body ISMA. Addressing the AGM, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) President Aditya Jhunjhunwala hoped that the government will increase the export quota from the current 60 lakh tonnes. "We are grateful that exports are allowed with the option provided to sugar mills to exchange their export quota with domestic sugar sale
India's approval came late on Saturday for the export of 6 million tonnes of sugar in the 2022/2023 marketing year that started on Oct 1
The government, which has allowed export of 6 million tonne of sugar till May 31 of the ongoing 2022-23 season, on Sunday said it could consider allowing more export after periodic assessment of the domestic production. A food ministry notification issued on November 5 said export quota of 6 million tonne has been permitted from November 1 till May 31, 2023 with an option for millers to export on their own or through exporters or swap with domestic sale quota. In a statement issued on Sunday, the ministry said the export quota has been fixed based on the available initial estimates of sugarcane production in the country. "The sugarcane production in the country will be reviewed periodically and based on the latest available estimates, the quantity of sugar exports to be allowed could be reconsidered," the ministry said. Mills have been asked to export allocated sugar quota speedily to make early payment to cane farmers, it said. Mill-wise sugar export quota has been fixed for the
Mills in India, which vies with Brazil as the world's top sugar producer, have so far contracted to export about 1.2 million tons and aim to ship as much as 8 million tons in the 2022-23 year