India Opens Final 202,550 Tonnes of Duty Free Raw Sugar Quota

India has invited eligible sugar millers and refiners to apply for the remaining 202,550 metric tons of its duty free raw sugar import quota. The full quota totals one million metric tons and remains valid through October 31, 2026.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said 797,450 metric tons had already been allocated under an earlier round. The import programme is part of a broader effort to increase domestic availability after a sharp rise in sugar prices ahead of the festival season.

Imports are one part of the supply response

India's Press Information Bureau reported that retail sugar prices rose from ₹48.18 per kilogram on July 20 to ₹55.70 on August 20. The government also imposed stock limits and advised mills to begin crushing from October 15, earlier than usual.

The government expects the earlier crushing start to lift October production from a normal 300,000 to 400,000 metric tons to more than one million metric tons. Reuters also reported that port based refiners were expected to divert part of their refined output into the domestic market under the revised policy.

For the global sugar trade, the quota creates a concentrated import window rather than a permanent structural change. Its market effect depends on how quickly allocated raw sugar arrives and how strongly the new crop restores domestic supply.