Free-sale sugar quota of 13.50 lakh tonnes released for the second half of September

15-Sep-2026 07:22 PM

New Delhi: Keeping the festive season in mind, the Union Ministry of Food has released a domestic sales quota of 13.50 lakh tonnes of sugar for the second fortnight (September 16–30) of the current month, whereas a quota of 13 lakh tonnes was announced for the first fortnight (September 1–15). Thus, a total free-sale quota of 26.50 lakh tonnes has been fixed for the entire month of September to exert downward pressure on prices.

Previously, a monthly quota for domestic sugar sales used to be set, but the Ministry of Food has now decided to allocate quotas on a fortnightly basis. It is noteworthy that the total free-sale quota for the entire month of August 2026 was fixed at 22.50 lakh tonnes, whereas the quota for the full month of September is 4 lakh tonnes higher. A quota of 22.50 lakh tonnes was also announced for August 2025, while the 26.50 lakh tonne quota announced for the entire month of July 2026 is considered the highest ever for that month.

The government expects that this substantial quota will help ensure adequate supply and availability of sugar in the market and curb any sharp rise in prices. The average retail price of sugar at the national level continues to hover around ₹60 per kilogram, even though ex-factory prices have witnessed a significant decline.