India bans sugar exports until September 2026 to cool local prices

India prohibits raw, white & refined sugar export till Sept 30

Synopsis

India has banned the export of raw, white, and refined sugar until September 30. This decision aims to control rising domestic prices and manage supply. The ban applies to most shipments, with exceptions for specific quotas and ongoing consignments. This move impacts global sugar trade and India’s position as a major exporter.

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India has prohibited the export of raw, white and refined sugar till September 30, in a move to stabilise domestic prices amid tightening supply conditions.

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The world’s second largest sugar producer amended the export policy of sugar to “prohibited” from “restricted” in a notification issued Wednesday.

“This prohibition is not applicable to Sugar being exported under: EU and USA under CXL (Codex Maximum Residue Limit) and TRQ (Tariff Rate Quota) quota, Advance Authorization Scheme, Government-to-Government exports, and consignments already in physical export pipeline,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said.

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India had exported $1.9 billion of these varieties of sugar in FY25 with the top destinations being Sudan, Libya, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

As per the notification, outbound shipments of the kitchen staple would be allowed where loading of sugar on the ship has commenced before the date of publication of this Notification in the Official Gazette, where the Shipping Bill has been filed and the vessel has berthed or arrived and anchored in an lndian port, with its rotation number allocated by the Port Authority, before the date of publication of this Notification in the Official Gazette.

Consignments handed over to customs or custodians before the notification will also be cleared.