As India resumed allowing its mills to export sugar after two-years, the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi has recommended that authorities consider importing the sweetener from India, reported Bangladeshi media.
The commission recently communicated this development to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which then forwarded it to the Ministry of Commerce, advising them to take the necessary steps for potential imports.
On January 20, India’s Department of Food and Public Distribution issued guidelines for the 2024-25 season, allocating export quotas to mills for sugar shipments. According to the notification, each sugar mill is granted an export quota of 3.17% of its average production over the past three years. The total approved export volume stands at 1.0 million tonnes, with shipments expected to be completed by September 2025.
The commission suggested that Bangladesh’s Ministry of Commerce and relevant authorities initiate formal procedures and contact interested, verified Indian exporters for the sugar imports, reported The Financial Express.
Bangladesh currently has five operational refined sugar mills. However, there is a shortage of sugar in the local market, particularly ahead of the upcoming Ramadan fasting season.