The Indian government should withdraw an order that prohibits sugar exporters from seeking approval for overseas sales of more than 10,000 tonnes in one application, a leading industry body said on Tuesday as it goes against a decision to free exports.
Ministers agreed to lift restrictions on sugar exports on May 2 and the food ministry on Friday issued a formal order removing the need for its permission for shipments. But it asked millers to disclose the quantities they sold overseas.
The trade ministry on Tuesday said in a statement exporters can submit an application for not more than 10,000 tonnes at a time and they must ship out the quantity within 30 days of the permission or else they will be barred from selling the sweetener overseas.
Abinash Verma, director general of the Indian Sugar Mills Association, called on the government for an "immediate withdrawal" of the trade ministry's order in a statement. The government is expected to revise the order later on Tuesday, a government source said. "The latest order will be revised within a couple of hours," the source said, without giving any further details.