Dec 31, 2007
New Delhi, (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- The Centre has released 41 lakh tons of non-levy sugar for sale in the open market for the first quarter of 2008.
"The government has released 41 lakh tons of non-levy (free sale) sugar for the quarter January-March 2008," an official release said.
The total sugar released for January stands at 14.98 lakh tons, including 13 lakh tons meant for open market sale.
The Directorate of Sugar, which fixes every month the quantities to be sold in open market as well as through public distribution system, has also decided to release 1.98 lakh tons of the sweetener for PDS.
The total availability of sugar in the month of January, 2008 would be 14.98 lakh tons, which would be sufficient to meet the internal demand for sugar, the release said.
The sugar released for the first quarter of the new year is one lakh tons less than that released in the previous quarter (October-December 2007).
India is expected to produce 300-310 lakh tons of sugar in 2007-08 season ending September 2008 against an estimated annual domestic demand of 200 lakh tons.
