Sugar exports in the ongoing 2021-22 season is 15 times more than that registered in the 2017-18 season. According to Consumer Affairs Ministry's data, during the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 around 6.2 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), 38 LMT, 59.60 LMT and 70 LMT of sugar respectively was exported.
However in the current sugar season (2021-22), contracts for export of around 90 LMT of sugar have been signed, and that too without announcement of any export subsidy, official sources said. This is 15 times more than 6.2 LMT of sugar, which was exported during 2017-18.
In fact out of the contracts signed for exporting 90 LMT of sugar in the current season, 75 LMT of sweetener has already been exported till May 18, 2022.
Countries which import bulk of sugar from India are Indonesia, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE, Malaysia and African nations.
About Rs 14,456 crore have been released to sugar mills in the last five years to facilitate export of the commodity, while Rs 2,000 crore have also been provided to them as carrying cost for maintaining buffer stock.
