India exported 12 lakh tonnes of sugar in 2012-12: Thomas

India exported about 12 lakh tonnes of sugar in the marketing year 2012-13 (October-September), Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Food Minister K.V. Thomas said as per the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS), about 12 lakh tonnes of sugar was exported during the year.

In the current marketing year, the country had exported about 1.5 lakh tonnes of sugar till October, he said.

Mr. Thomas said the decision to allow free exports of sugar was taken keeping in view the stock position and domestic demand.

In another reply, the Minister said sugar production in the current marketing year is estimated to drop about 7 per cent to 241.31 lakh tonnes. In the previous season, output was 258.58 lakh tonnes.

“Sugar production in the country has exceeded the domestic consumption requirement in last three sugar seasons and is likely to exceed in the current sugar season also,” he said.

Mr. Thomas added that domestic consumption in the current season is estimated to rise to 235 lakh tonnes from 230 lakh tonnes in the last season.

The estimated opening stock of sugar in the current season is at 91.09 lakh tonnes, while the closing stock is expected at 87.4 lakh tonnes, according to the data shared by Mr. Thomas.