In a move seen as aimed at stabilizing the domestic market, the Government on Thursday imposed an immediate ban on sugar exports, effective until September 30, 2026. The intervention comes at a critical juncture as global sugar prices show signs of a rebound, which had begun to make Indian exports increasingly attractive to international traders, potentially threatening domestic availability.
For the 2025-26 sugar season (October–September), the government had initially authorized an export quota of 1.59 million tonnes (mt). Official data indicated that roughly 0.53 mt had been shipped by the end of March. However, industry intelligence suggests a higher volume of activity, with actual shipments estimated at 0.75 mt and total contracts, including those already shipped, reaching 1 mt. By implementing the ban now, the government expects to retain approximately 0.2 mt of sugar that would have otherwise left the country, bolstering local reserves.
The notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on May 13 clarifies that while the prohibition is immediate, it is scheduled to lapse at the end of September unless further extensions are deemed necessary.
https://www.business-standard.com/industry/agriculture/statsguru-tr
