The Centre has released 2.7 million tonne free-sale quota sugar for January-March, 2002. With a levy quota of 6,48,000 tonne sugar being released for the same quarter, the total availability of sugar, including 10 per cent of the additional quota, would be 3.61 million tonne as against 3.42 million tonne released in January-March 2001.
In order to prevent any substantial drop in prices, the sugar mills are permitted to sell 50 per cent of the quarterly quota for January-March 2002 in the first half of the quarter and the remaining 50 per cent in the second half.
The sugar mills can also sell the additional 10 per cent of the quarterly quota in the second half of the quarter, subject to utilisation of the sale proceeds of the additional quota for paying cane arrears to the farmers, an official statement said.
