The government may soon allow private traders to import 800,000 tonnes of sugar at zero duty to augment the domestic availability.
The commerce ministry has requested the food ministry to allow private sector participation in the import of refined sugar at zero duty since the public sector undertakings (PSUs) have expressed unwillingness to meet the targeted 1 million tonnes import by August 1, a senior government official said.
The Cabinet, early last month, had allowed STC, PEC, MMTC and agri-cooperative National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) to import 1 million tonnes of sugar at zero duty by August 1.
The PSUs have expressed that they would not be able to fulfill the target of importing 1 million tonnes by the due date, the official pointed out.
These PSUs can import a maximum of 200,000 tonnes of refined white sugar, he added. So, the commerce ministry wants that the balance quantity of 800,000 tonnes to be imported through private sector. As of now, PSUs have contracted around 50,000 tonnes of sugar to be delivered by end of June, the official said, adding that Nafed has not been able to contract any quantity during this period.
