DGFT replaces October 31 deadline with two-month window for raw sugar imports under TRQ
DGFT has revised the processing timeline for raw sugar imported under the 10-lakh-tonne TRQ, replacing the October 31 deadline with a two-month limit from the bill of entry date. The change gives importers greater flexibility while ensuring timely refining and domestic sale.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has revised the timeline for processing and selling raw sugar imported under the government’s 10-lakh-tonne tariff rate quota (TRQ), replacing the earlier fixed October 31 deadline with a two-month window linked to the date of filing of the bill of entry.
In a public notice issued on Monday, the DGFT partially modified its Public Notice No. 27/2026-2027 dated August 20, which laid down the modalities for allocation and distribution of the TRQ for import of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar, along with a one-time conversion from the Advance Authorisation (AA) Scheme to the TRQ Scheme.
Under the earlier provision, raw sugar imported under the TRQ had to be processed into white or refined sugar within a reasonable period and sufficiently in advance to enable its sale in the domestic market by October 31, 2026.
The revised provision removes the October 31 cut-off. It now requires importers to convert the raw sugar into white/refined sugar and sell it in the domestic market within a period not exceeding two months from the date of filing of the bill of entry.
The change effectively links the compliance timeline to each import consignment rather than imposing a common deadline for all importers.
“All other terms and conditions” of the August 20 public notice will remain unchanged, the DGFT said.
The move comes after the government announced the TRQ for 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar, allowing imports at a concessional duty rate to augment domestic availability. The revised timeline provides importers greater flexibility in scheduling processing and domestic sales while retaining a clear limit on how long imported raw sugar can remain unprocessed or unsold.
For sugar mills and refiners participating in the TRQ, the key change is therefore not an extension of the import quota but a modification in the post-import processing and sales compliance requirement.
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Source : ChiniMandi
