Govt to decide on 2011-12 sugar exports after Diwali: Pawar

The government is likely to take a decision on allowing sugar exports in the 2011-12 marketing year, which commenced this month, only after Diwali, as mills are yet to exhaust the export quota of 2010-11, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said on Thursday.
    
The sugar season runs from October to September.
    
"The government permitted 1.5 million tonne of sugar exports in three equal tranches under open general licences (OGL) last season. The third tranche of exports has not yet been lifted. If it is lifted, then government will take a decision on more exports. By that time, Diwali will be over," Pawar said in an interview.
    
That apart, the minister pointed out that crushing operations in the current season are yet to start because of a labour shortage amid the festive season.
    
On Wednesday, Food Minister K V Thomas had also said that a decision on sugar exports would be taken in the first week of November after evaluating production estimates for the current season, as well as the price situation in both domestic and global markets.
    
He had also said that sugar exports will be allowed in phases and the quantity of shipments will be decided after reconciling production estimates.
    
The Food Ministry has pegged sugar output at 24.6 million tonne this year, up from 24.3 million tonne in 2010-11.