Government may allow further export of sugar: K V Thomas

01 Jul 2011 Evaluate
The Indian government is expected to allow additional export of sugar after evaluating the impact on retail prices in the domestic market. Food Minister K V Thomas on June 30 said that the government may consider allowing further exports of sugar after assessing the impact on retail prices due to shipment of one million tonnes of the sweetener.

Earlier in this week, the government had allowed for additional export of 500,000 tonnes of sugar, since April government has permitted 1 million tonnes of sugar export, because of falling domestic prices of sugar. In last six months, sugar prices have declined by more than 18%. State governments are demanding to further increase the export of sugar due to increase in production. Sugar mills in Maharashtra, the largest sugar producing state in the country, have been demanding that the government should allow export of two million tonnes of sugar.

After meeting Prithviraj Chavan, food minister said 'We are watching the situation. It (export) can only be allowed after considering the prices of sugar in the domestic markets. The Maharashtra CM has sought an additional sugar export of 20 lakh tonnes, citing the reason that the domestic output in this season is expected to touch 245 lakh tonnes,' food minister said.

The domestic sugar demand is around 21-21.5 million tonnes annually, while the current production estimate is 24.5 million tonnes. This leaves an extra sugar of around 3-3.5 million tonnes, the food minister said. 'The states want more exports considering the global sugar prices, but the government can consider this quantity for export keeping in mind the domestic situation as well as the coming festival season,' K V Thomas said.

India is the largest consumer and second largest producer of the sugar, India’s sugar production is expected to increase by 5.2 million tonnes to 24.2 million in 2011-121 season (October to September), from 19 million tonnes in 2010-11. As per the industry data, mills have produced around 24 million tonnes of sugar till 15 June of the 2010-12 season.   

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