With immediate effect, India has banned sugar exports till September 30, 2026, in an effort to increase domestic supply and manage prices in the face of inflation worries and international unpredictability brought on by the conflict in West Asia.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has announced that sugar shipments are now “prohibited” rather than “limited.” For outgoing shipments, exporters used to need licenses.
The CXL and Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) agreements, which permit restricted sugar exports at lower or no customs taxes, will exempt exports to the US and the EU from the prohibition. Consignments currently in the export pipeline, shipments covered by advance authorization programs, and government-to-government agreements are also exempt.
For the 2025–2026 sugar marketing season, India first authorized exports of 15 lakh tonnes; later, a quota of an additional 5 lakh tonnes was added.
The Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) reports that increased output in Maharashtra and Karnataka drove a 7.32% increase in India’s sugar production to 27.52 million tonnes through April.
Source – The Tribune India
