Industry not content with export package

NEW DELHI: A section of sugar industry has expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s export incentives, saying a Rs 100 per tonne extra subsidy for mills in northern region as compared to those for coastal areas was not enough.

“Freight difference between non-coastal and coastal states is Rs 500-600 per tonne, while the government is giving only Rs 100 extra subsidy for mills in the north,” officials in an industry body said, but declined to be identified.

The government should either have provided for the actual difference in freight cost or kept a single rate for all sugar factories in the country, they said, reacting to Mr Pawar’s comments on March 27 that the Centre would give a subsidy on transport cost of shipments.

“The mills in Uttar Pradesh have the option to export through Kandla and Mundra ports, which cost them Rs 900-1000 per tonne as freight while factories in coastal areas will have to bear Rs 300-400 a tonne,” the industry officials said.

So, the export incentives for non-coastal areas should have been in the range of Rs 1,800-1,900 per tonne, they added.