Centre directs sugar mills, traders to submit May-Aug sales report by Sep 12

The ministry is seeking data of sugar stocks to ensure sufficient availability of the commodity at reasonable prices.

The Centre has directed sugar mills and traders to furnish details of the quantity of sugar sold between the months of May and August by today, as per a report by CNBC-TV18.

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According to the Consumers Affairs Ministry, it is seeking data of sugar stocks to ensure sufficient availability of the commodity at reasonable prices and curb hoarding of stock during the festive season. The latest move is one of the organic efforts of the government to keep a check on the soaring prices of essential commodities, and help cool down inflation to some extent.

The ministry further noted that it is collecting data of sugar stocks sold to traders and wholesale dealers other than sugar mills.

Early this August, the Central government allocated an additional quota of 2 lakh tonnes of sugar for sale during the month, over and above 23.5 lakh tonnes already allotted to mills, in a bid to boost domestic supply as well as keep a check on prices amid the festive season.

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India is projected to have produced 330 lakh tonnes of sugar after a diversion of about 43 lakh tonnes for ethanol production in the current sugar marketing year (October-September) 2022-23. Domestic consumption is estimated to be roughly 275 lakh tonnes.