India to have surplus sugar for exports in 2012/13: KV Thomas

NEW DELHI: India is likely to produce more sugar than is consumed locally for a third straight year in a row in the 2012/13 marketing year starting on Oct. 1, although exportable surplus will be small, Food Minister KV Thomas said on Tuesday.

The world's biggest consumer of the sweetener is likely to produce 24.5 million tonnes of sugar in 2012/13, higher than the local demand of about 22 million tonnes, government sources said.

An expert panel constituted to study lifting curbs on the sugar sector will soon submit its report, Thomas added.