Govt extends duty-free raw sugar import window till Dec 31 to ease festive supplies

NEW DELHI: The government has extended the duty-free import deadline for 1 million tonnes of raw sugar under the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) to December 31 to boost domestic supplies during the festive season.

According to a finance ministry notification, the import window has been extended to December 31, 2026.

On August 20, the government allowed imports of 1 million tonnes of raw sugar until October 31.

So far, around 2.6 lakh tonnes has been imported, according to industry data.

Industry sources said imports have remained subdued due to a lack of price parity. The extension is aimed at securing supplies whenever international prices ease enough to make imports viable.

Besides allowing imports, the government has taken a series of measures like imposing stockholding limits on traders to ensure adequate domestic supplies and keep prices in check amid tight availability.

Sugar production for the 2025-26 marketing year (October-September) is now estimated at 306 lakh tonnes, down from an earlier forecast of 343 lakh tonnes. Annual domestic demand is pegged at 280-285 lakh tonnes.