The Government has said that there is no shortage of sugar in the country and all necessary measures will be taken for adequate availability of sugar at reasonable prices.

 

The Consumer Affairs Ministry said that ex-mill sugar prices have declined by around 20 per cent in recent days, while retail sugar prices have also started coming down.

 

The Ministry said, it has taken a series of proactive measures to ensure adequate availability of sugar and prevent artificial tightening of supplies in the domestic market.

 

The Government has been closely monitoring sugar prices, stocks and movement across the country. Our correspondent reports that the Government has decided to introduce a fortnightly sugar allocation system from next month, replacing the existing monthly quota system to ensure that sugar reaches the market in a timely manner. 

 

Under the fortnightly quota, sugar mills will be required to sell at least 40 per cent of the allocation in the first week and the remaining quantity in the succeeding week. The Ministry said, sugarcane crushing for the new season will commence from 15th October and it is expected that more than 10 lakh tonnes of sugar will be produced during the month.

 

The Government has also permitted sugar mills to sell sugar produced during October without restriction, ensuring that new-season production becomes available in the domestic market at the earliest. Sugar production is expected to be around 45 Lakh tonnes in November, providing substantial additional supplies for domestic consumption.