A meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on food, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and scheduled for today, has been postponed due to differences among ruling allies, especially the NCP, over the sugar export policy.
The meeting was deferred as the NCP leader and Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, wanted a clear policy on sugar export for 2011-12 to be decided this month, but Food Minister KV Thomas was not in favour to make any commitment before Diwali, sources privy to the development said.
No new date for the EGoM meeting has been set, they said.
Besides, the Food Ministry has not yet prepared a status report on sugar exports because of differences in the production forecast.
While the Food Ministry has projected sugar output at 24.6 million tonne for the 2011-12 marketing season (October-September), the Agriculture Ministry's estimate is slightly higher at 25 million tonne.
Sources said that the Food Ministry did not have any specific agenda for today's meeting and had not circulated any note among ministries for their views.
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The Food Ministry wanted a general discussion on agri-export policy and the price situation of essential commodities, including sugar and onion, they added.
Thomas had recently said that the government will take a call on sugar exports only after Diwali.