New Delhi: The Centre has approved an additional export quota of 87,587 tonnes of sugar for the 2025-26 marketing season following requests from mills, according to a circular issued by the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution on Monday, PTI reported.
Earlier, the government had allowed exports of 1.5 million tonnes for the season and, in February, announced an extra 500,000 tonnes for mills willing to export under fixed allocations. However, mills applied for only 87,587 tonnes from this additional quota, and the remaining quantity has now lapsed.
The ministry has set June 30, 2026, as the deadline for exporting the allotted quantity. Mills that export at least 70 per cent of their quota by this date will be allowed to ship the remaining quantity by September 30. Those failing to meet this threshold will lose the unexported portion, which may be reassigned to better-performing or interested mills.
Officials said no extension will be granted except in exceptional situations. The quota cannot be transferred between mills, and those missing the 70 per cent mark will face cuts in future allocations equal to their shortfall.
For example, if a mill is allotted 1,000 tonnes but exports only 400 tonnes by the June deadline, the remaining shortfall will be deducted from its next quota.
All categories of sugar are allowed for export within the approved limits. Refineries can also export refined sugar made from raw sugar supplied by mills under formal agreements, as long as the quantity remains within the original mill’s quota.
The ministry has made it clear that mills which violated stockholding limits under a March 2025 order will not be eligible for export quotas this season. Supplies made to refineries in special economic zones will be treated as exports, while shipments under the Advance Authorisation Scheme will continue as per existing rules.
Any violation of the guidelines may invite action under the Essential Commodities Act and the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act. Mills have also been directed to submit monthly export data through the government’s NSWS portal.
The government has retained the right to change export rules if required.
Meanwhile, industry data shows that India exported about 315,000 tonnes of sugar between October and February in the current season, against the total permitted quota of 1.5 million tonnes.
