)
With surplus domestic sugar production, the government has relaxed a condition for exports of the sweetener by doubling the limit on overseas shipments that sellers can register.
"One of the conditions was the upper limit of 25,000 tonnes per application for registration. This limit is now enhanced to 50,000 tonnes. Accordingly, an exporter can seek registration of up to 50,000 tonnes of sugar," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a circular.
Welcoming the decision, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said this would help in exports of raw sugar, which is generally shipped in bulk.
ISMA Director General Abinash Verma, however, demanded that the system of making export registration should be abolished to help boost shipments.
The association has been demanding easier norms to export sugar due to surplus domestic production. It has targeted exports of 3-4 million tonnes of sugar in the 2013-14 marketing year (October-September) as against about 3,25,000 tonnes in the previous year.
Sugar production in India, the world's second-largest producer and biggest consumer, is projected at 25 million tonnes in 2013-14 against the annual domestic demand of 23 million tonnes.
