Sugar stocks tumble: Bajaj Hindusthan, Renuka Sugars plunge up to 5%; here's why

Sugar stocks experienced a significant drop on Monday following the government's decision to halt sugar-based ethanol supplies for 2026-27. Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar was the worst-performing listed company, with shares falling by 5.22% to Rs 20.16 on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Dwarikesh Sugar Industries and Shree Renuka Sugars also saw declines of 4.45% and 4.43% respectively.

Other affected companies included Dalmia Bharat Sugar and Industries, Dhampur Sugar Mills, Balrampur Chini Mills, and EID Parry India, all of which dropped between 2.55% and 1.57%. The sell-off was primarily due to the exclusion of sugarcane juice, sugar syrup, and B-heavy molasses from the ethanol procurement tender, which leaves sugar mills with limited outlets for their produce, often yielding higher margins.

The government's decision aimed to attract oil marketing companies to divert sugar diversion for ethanol production to zero during the 2026-27 supply year, shifting the focus towards grain-based ethanol. However, the reduced procurement price and incentive for maize-based ethanol may reduce returns for producers. The move comes amid concerns over domestic sugar availability due to poor rainfall in key sugar-producing states, aggravating the competition between sugar supply for domestic consumption and ethanol production.