Sugar production to touch 190 lakh tonnes : Pawar

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar today said that production of sugar is expected to touch 190 lakh tonnes as against the earlier estimates of 180 lakh tonnes and much higher than the last year output of 120 lakh tonnes.

Admitting that the rate of sugar in domestic retail market has gone abnormally up at Rs 24-25 a kilo, he said the price rise was largely confined to northern regin. And for bringing down the prices, the Food Ministy has already released an additional quota of 1.45 lakh tonnes in the region.

The Minister said the country is expected to export about 3 lakh tonnes of sugar this year, however, the quantum of that would be reviewed from time to time.

He made it clear that no duty free imports will be allowed during the year.

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