Export of sugar not possible this year, Pawar

New Delhi, Apr 27 (UNI) Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today stated that sugar cannot be exported from the country despite a surplus of 300 lakh tonnes as there is already a glut in the world markets this year.

''This year there is too much sugar production, more than the required domestic consumption,'' Mr Pawar informed the Rajya Sabha.

He said MSP will be provided to sugar cane farmers and a subsidy of Rs 13-15 per tonne on the commodity exists.

However, the government has maintained a policy of providing export assistance to defray the cost of internal transport and freight charges, marketing and handling charges at a flat rate of Rs 1350 per tonne on export of domestically manufactured sugar from factories located in the coastal states.

Exports made under Open General Licence (OGL) only would be eligible for assistance and the estimated cost of export assistance is Rs 205 crores, Mr Pawar said in his reply to BJP member Pyare Lal Khandewal.

UNI