India imposes stricter sugar stock limits on dealers from October 15 for festive season

Key facts

• The Centre has tightened stockholding limits for sugar dealers, effective October 15, barring them from holding stocks for more than 15 days or keeping more than 1,000 quintals at any location, with the limits in force until November 30.
• Dealers in Kolkata and its extended metropolitan areas and in Assam are allowed to hold up to 2,000 quintals, owing to supply requirements, longer transportation distances and logistical constraints of supplying the Northeast.
• Retail sugar prices have fallen 15% from their August peak but stood at ₹56 per kg, up 20% year-on-year, while ex-mill prices declined about 28% and hover between ₹4,500-₹4,800 per quintal.
• The new rules coincide with the start of the 2026-27 sugar season on October 1, and the government has advised sugar mills to begin crushing based on agro-climatic conditions in their regions.