Govt to track sugar production every month starting October
Mills need to sell sugar at reasonable prices and the government will take corrective measures to keep prices stable: Food Ministry
The Indian government has announced plans to track sugar production on a monthly basis starting from October to ensure adequate supply during the festival season and maintain stable prices. Joint Secretary Ashwini Srivastava from the Food Ministry emphasized the importance of mills selling sugar at reasonable prices and stated that the government would take corrective measures to prevent price instability.
Despite a slight decline in ex-mill prices, retail sugar prices remain high, with the all-India average retail price currently at ₹60.2 per kg. The wholesale price ranges between ₹50-100 per quintal, while mill-level prices have shown signs of easing, though they still fall between ₹4,700 and ₹5,100 per quintal. India, being the world's second-largest sugarcane producer, supports nearly 5 crore farmers and 5 lakh workers in sugar factories and related industries.
The government predicts sugar production for the current season (October 2025-September 2026) to be around 306 lakh tonnes, slightly lower than the initial estimate of 343 lakh tonnes due to diseases affecting the cane crop. However, the government maintains that sufficient sugar stocks are available to meet domestic demand, even after permitting the import of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar at zero duty.
The government approved permits for importing 8 lakh tonnes under the TRQ scheme and allowed two refiners to sell an additional 2.65 lakh tonnes of raw sugar in the domestic market. Industry sources suggest that a similar quantity may be approved for sales during the second fortnight. Srivastava blamed hoarding for the current price increase, attributing it to the anticipation of a further price rise during the festival season.
He stressed that it is the collective responsibility of the entire sector to ensure stable prices, particularly during festivals, as demand typically surges in summer and around major festivals like Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, and Diwali.
Written by urgent.news from Hindu BusinessLine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
