Bumper season for Indian sugar
14 December 1999
Bumper season for Indian sugar
INDIAS sugar growers are looking forward to a bumper season this year but are urging the government to act to stop imports.
Production is expected to be lifted by at least 400,000 tonnes to 16 million tonnes in 1999-2000 because of a marked rise in cane production and an expected improvement in the recovery rate of sugar from cane
The Indian Sugar Mills Association is urging the curb on imported sugar.
It is concerned that domestic sugar producers have to surrender 40% of their production to the government at below cost to be distributed through ration shops at lower than market prices.
Imported sugar is not subjected to this levy.
The government has said that importers will have to declare their stocks to the sugar directorate and the volume of monthly releases of sugar of foreign origin will be regulated.