India maintains sugar surplus despite lower production estimates: Food Secretary
India retains a comfortable sugar surplus despite output estimates trimmed to 330 LT, against 290 LT domestic consumption, said Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra. The Centre has now allowed 20 LMT exports for 2025–26, including an additional 5 LMT, though actual shipments remain below targets due to export parity challenges.
Despite sugar production estimates for the current year being revised down from 343 lakh tonnes to 330 lakh tonnes, India continues to maintain a comfortable supply, with domestic consumption around 290 LT, said Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra. He added that the country still has a sugar surplus, and although the government allowed exports of 20 LT, actual shipments were lower than expected due to export parity issues, according to CNBC TV18..
The Centre had on February 13 approved the export of an additional 5 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugar. According to the Consumer Affairs Ministry, the government has decided to allow willing sugar mills to export this additional 5 LMT during the current Sugar Season 2025–26. Earlier, the government had permitted the export of 15 LMT of sugar through an order dated November 14, 2025.
The ministry further stated that, as of February 13, sugar mills had exported about 1.97 LMT of sugar up to January 31, 2026. In addition, approximately 2.72 LMT has already been contracted for export by the mills. The additional 5 LMT will be allocated to willing sugar mills, subject to the condition that at least 70% of their assigned quantity is exported by June 30, 2026.
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Source : Chinimandi
