EGoM likely to meet to consider allowing further exports of sugar and non-basmati rice

07 Feb 2012 Evaluate

A panel of Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), headed by the Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, is likely to meet soon to consider allowing further exports of sugar and non-basmati rice and also to review the export situation of onion and edibile oil.

India is the second largest producer and the largest consumer of sugar. So far the government has allowed exports of 1 million tones keeping in view higher domestic production. Sugar output in India is estimated at 24.5 million tonnes this season, as against annual demand of 21.5 million tonnes. Indian millers however expect India to produce 26 million tonnes of sugar in 2011-12, and say annual domestic sugar consumption stands at around 22 million tonnes. Therefore they have been demanding exports of an additional two million tonnes of sugar for this year.

Apart from sugar exports, the EGoM will also take a decision regarding increasing the export cap of non-basmati rice upto four million tonnes due to high stocks following a good crop. So far, 2.3 million tonnes of the grain has been shipped since the government lifted the ban on the commodity in September, 2011.  Also the Food Ministry is expected to look into the proposal of Commerce Ministry of either reducing or scrapping the minimum export price (MEP) of basmati rice and onion. The Commerce Ministry has suggested that the MEP of basmati be reduced to 700 a tonne, from the current 900 a tonne, or be totally scrapped to encourage exports. On onion too, it has suggested either to scrap or bring down the export price.

Recently, the government slashed the onion MEP to boost exports. Onion exports from India declined by nearly 23% to 1.03 million tonnes in the first nine months of the current fiscal, as against the year-ago, due to the higher MEP.  Consequently, the MEP of onion was reduced to USD 150 per tonne from USD 250 per tonne, barring premium varieties Bangalore Rose and Krishnapuram, whose export price was brought down by USD 50 to USD 250 per tonne. India, the second-largest onion producer in the world, exported 1.34 million tonnes of onions last fiscal. The country's onion production is estimated at 15.13 million tonnes in the 2011-12 crop year (July-June).

Other proposals include extension of period for export of edible oils in small pack, export of 2,650 tonnes non-basmati rice to Yemem under World Food Programmme at economic cost, shipment of non-basmati rice via land route along Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Nepal border through state-run agencies STC, NCCF and NAFED.

© 2025 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×