AISTA urges govt to increase minimum selling price of sugar

13 Apr 2023 Evaluate

Sugar trade body -- The All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) has demanded that the government should increase the minimum selling price of sugar as the sweetener is being sold at prices lower than the cost of production in the country. The minimum selling price of sugar has been kept unchanged at Rs 3,100 per quintal since 2019 even though the fair and remunerative price (FRP) of sugarcane has been increased every year. The AISTA has made a representation in this regard to Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra.

AISTA Chairman Praful Vithalani said ‘Sugar was sold as low as Rs 3,100-3,200 per quintal in Maharasthra and Karnataka during November-March period of the current 2022-23 season, which is 10% lower than that of cost of production’. He said the minimum selling price should be more than the cost of production, which ranges from Rs 3,400 to Rs 3,600 per quintal. In the representation, AISTA said the government had increased the FRP of sugarcane in the last four sugar seasons (October-September), but there has been no corresponding increase in the minimum selling price. Therefore, the government may consider increasing the minimum selling price of sugar, which will also encourage farmers to increase sugarcane plantation in the country.

That apart, the trade body has urged the government to extend the benefit of RODTEP (Remission of Duties, Taxes On Export Products) scheme to sugar. Under RODTEP scheme, duties and taxes are remitted at a fixed rate on export products under 'free category' only. Since sugar was kept under the 'restricted' category, traders are not getting the benefit at present. AISTA said the benefits should be extended as sugar was placed under 'restricted category' not because of the shortage but for regulating exports. It added due to technical reasons, the RODTEP benefits to sugar should not be withdrawn.

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