Pawar justifies export sops for sugar mills

NEW DELHI: The centre on Thursday extended the validity period of non-levy sugar quota of March up to April 15, thus enabling glut-struck sugar mills to sell and dispatch unsold quantity during this extended period.

The decision comes even as agriculture minister Sharad Pawar reasserted here on Thursday that there were no plans to block exports by mills through non issue of release orders.

Earlier, exports were allowed but only on the basis of ROs. This decision is expected to add to maintain retail prices of sugar at reasonable levels, in addition to the release of 38 lakh tonnes of non-levy (FSQ) sugar for the April to June quarter.

In addition, 1.77 lt are released under levy for distribution under the PDS, bringing up the total availability of sugar in April to 13.77 lt. An official release said here that if sugar prices showed an abnormal increase, additional releases would be made to keep down the prices.

The minister, unfazed by criticism of Centre clearing sugar export incentive package just ahead of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, said he saw no problem from the Election Commission as the decision did not relate to only one state.

“I think there should not be any problem. But still immediately after our decision (on March 24) we sent a communication to Election Commission,” Mr Pawar said.