Sugar industry urges Government to extend export permission till 31st December
India permitted 1 million tonnes of sugar exports for the 2024–25 season, but only around 700,000 tonnes have been shipped by mid-July. Exporters urge the government to extend the deadline to December 2025 to export the remaining 200,000 tonnes, citing logistical hurdles. A bumper crop next season strengthens the case for continued exports.
The Government permitted sugar exports of 1 million tonnes during the current 2024-25 sugar season. However, with the season ending in two months, the industry is concerned that the total export quota may not be met.
According to the sugar apex body ISMA, by mid-July 2025, India had exported between 650,000 and 700,000 tonnes of sugar. The association hopes to export a total of 800,000 tonnes by the end of September, leaving around 200,000 tonnes unexported.
International sugar prices are strong due to increased demand, encouraging exporters to sell the remaining stock to generate revenue. Rahil Shaikh, MD of MEIR Commodities, suggested that the Government should extend the export permissions for the current season until 31st December 2025, enabling the remaining 200,000 tonnes to be exported.
He explained, “The reason that this 200,000 tonnes of sugar hasn’t been exported is that it’s either lying in Uttar Pradesh or in locations where it can’t be exported during this season due to logistical constraints, like large volumes and weather-related issues”.
The Managing Director of NFCSF, Prakash Naiknavare said that the decision to allow 1 MT of sugar export was excellently timed. “It helped improve cash liquidity of mills, which in turn helped make cane payments to the farmers. Therefore, giving extension till December 2025 will help complete the quota without giving any adverse impact on domestic sugar prices,” he added.
India is forecast to have a bumper sugar harvest in 2025-26. The USDA projects sugar production to reach 35 million tonnes (raw value) in the upcoming season, increase from this year.
Shaikh added that with expectations of a good cane crop next year, allowing an export of about 1 to 1.5 million tonnes, there is no reason why the remaining 200,000 tonnes should not be exported, as it would benefit the country.
“India should not be seen as an unreliable player in the international market. We should be recognised as a consistent and committed sugar producing and exporting nation,” he concluded.
To Read more about Sugar Industry continue reading Agriinsite.com
Source : Chinimandi
