Govt likely to raise limit on sugar exports under OGL regime

05 Aug 2011 Evaluate

The government is expected to review its decision of allowing additional 1 million tonnes of sugar exports under the Open General License (OGL) regime; however, official announcement may come only after the festival season. The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on food, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to take up the issue in its next meeting. The food ministry had moved a proposal that the exports of sugar may be allowed but only after the peak festival demand is catered, this recommendation is in a view to check prices of commodity during the festival season.

The food minister K V Thomas on August 3, is assumed to have send data on sugar production and availability for exports, to finance minister. This move of food minister was followed by a meeting between Finance Minister and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar along with few Parliament Members from Maharashtra to discuss the possibility of permitting exports of sugar in phases.  Both the minister decided to meet food minister on the issue in the next meeting of EGoM, to form agreement over the issue.  Earlier, food minister had ruled out any possibility of additional sugar exports during the festival season, which already started with the month of Ramadan and will continue it Durga Puja and Diwali.

The food minister was likely to agree to exports notwithstanding the Opposition's concerted attack in Parliament over rising food prices. Now political concerns have been raised over the ability of sugar mills to pay sugarcane farmers their dues on time, leaving no debts. These issues have gain important as the government is heading for Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly elections in 2012. The UP state is the largest sugar cane producer.    
 
On August 4, in parliament, food minister had said that the Centre had cleared 1 million tonnes of sugar exports under OGL, half in April and half in June, by adding further he said that the objective was to avoid a stock build-up and the resultant drop in prices. Exports allowed mills to pay arrears and provided liquidity to the sugar sector by capitalizing on the low global sugar balance and better international prices.

Besides, the government had also permitted export of sugar against Advance Authorization Scheme, exports to neighboring countries and against preferential quota of European Union and the US amounting to 1.12 million tonnes, food minister said.

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