Sugar

In Maharashtra, prices of the sweetener are expected to fall as there is selling pressure on mills. Sugar prices are seen falling about 10 rupees (per 100 kg) on Monday. On Apr 5, the government had allowed duty-free import of 500,000 tonne raw sugar under the tariff rate quota. The trade body had on Apr 27 allotted 30% of the total quota for import of raw sugar to Shree Renuka Sugars. On the National Commodity and Derivative Exchange, sugar futures rose, in line with the rise in north Indian spot markets. the benchmark May contract was up 0.4%.

Prices of sugar rose in Mumbai and Kolhapur, as demand for the sweetener improved with Stuckists replenishing their inventories at the start of the month. In Maharashtra, prices rose also due to bargain buying after a fall in the last week. In Mumbai and Kolhapur, sugar prices were up 7 rupees per 100 kg from previous close. On the NCDEX, the most active May contract of sugar traded down 0.3% from the previous close. The government had on Apr 5 allowed duty-free import of 500,000 tonne of raw sugar under the tariff rate quota. On the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange, sugar futures traded in a narrow range. Most active May contract of sugar was down 0.2% from the previous close. In north India, soaring prices are unlikely to sustain due to record high output in Uttar Pradesh.

Madhucon Sugar and Power Industries and Dalmia Bharat Sugar have surrendered their quota of 13,940 tonne raw sugar allocated to them by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade for import of raw sugar. Madhucon Sugar had applied for a quantity of 21,000 tonne raw sugar from the south zone, while Dalmia Bharat Sugar had applied for 100,000 tonne raw sugar–50,000 tonne each from the east zone and the south zone. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, however, allocated a quota of 4,313 tonne raw sugar to Madhucon Sugar, and 5,750 tonne raw sugar to Dalmia Bharat Sugar from the east zone and 3,877 tonne from the south zone. The mills surrendered the quota as the quantity allocated to them was very small and thus import would be unviable.

Karnataka aims to produce 40 million tonne of sugarcane in 2017-18 (Jul-Jun), up 20% from the previous season, led by an increase in acreage. Karnataka is one of the major producers of sugarcane.

The May contract of sugar on the NCDEX rose, tracking a rise in prices of the commodity in key spot markets. In Mumbai and Kolhapur, the wholesale markets of Maharashtra, sugar prices were up 5 rupees from previous close. Prices in the wholesale markets rose as demand improved, with Stuckists replenishing their inventories at the start of the month. The most active May contract of sugar traded up 0.8% from previous close. Traders, however, are uncertain of the prices sustaining at current levels as supply of sugar is set to rise because of higher production in Uttar Pradesh and arrivals of imported stock.

Raw sugar futures contracts were down on the ICE, as the global supply deficit is expected to ease. The benchmark May raw sugar contract on the ICE was down 0.9% at $18.97 cents a pound. The world supply deficit may narrow because India may not import more sugar this year as expected, and stick to the approved import of 500,000 tonne raw sugar. The government is expected to allow import of white sugar on the likelihood of an El Nino event in 2017.

Dalmia Bharat Sugar and Industries Ltd has surrendered the quota allocated to it by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade for import of raw sugar. The mill has surrendered the quota as the quantity allocated to it was very small and thus import would be unviable. Running refineries for just seven-to-eight days of operations is not viable. Dalmia Bharat Sugar had applied for 100,000 tonne raw sugar–50,000 tonne each from the east zone and the south zone. The government considered monthly refining capacity of mills, quantity applied, and number of applications within a zone while considering requests for raw sugar import. Such a small quantity that too from two different ports would not be viable. Dalmia (Bharat Sugar) had opted out of the quota before Apr 28, and license has not been issued to it. If an pplicant fails to bring in sugar after obtaining a licence, they would have to pay a penalty of 0.5% of the value of the unutilised quota.

Prices of sugar rose in the key wholesale of markets of Maharashtra due to an increase in demand from bulk and retail buyers. Medium-grade sugar was sold up 7 rupees from previous close. Prices remained unchanged in Delhi and Muzaffarnagar amid thin trade. Demand has risen as stockists are replenishing their stocks. In Maharashtra, where prices had fallen for the past one week, demand also rose due to buying at lower price levels. Traders, however, are bearish on prices in the near-to-medium term. Demand not sustain for too long. It remains high only for this week. Prices in Maharashtra are also expected to fall as the selling pressure on mills is expected to increase once the imports come in.

Mills across Uttar Pradesh produced 8.70 million tonne of sugar during Oct 1-May 1, up 28% from a year ago. The state had produced 6.80 million tonne sugar during the corresponding period a year ago. Mills in the state have crushed 82.04 million tonne cane so far, compared with 64.08 million tonne in the year-ago period. Average sugar recovery in Uttar Pradesh as of Monday was 10.61%, slightly higher than 10.60% a year ago. Of the 116 sugar mills in the state that started cane crushing operations this year, 102 mills have wound up the process so far. With some mills in Uttar Pradesh still operating. Market participants expect output of the sweetener in the state this season to touch an all-time high of 8.80 million tonne, surpassing the previous high of 8.47 million tonne in 2006-07.

Prices of sugar rose in the key wholesale markets of Muzaffarnagar and Mumbai, as demand for the sweetener improved at low prices, and as Stuckists sought to replenish inventories at the start of the month. In Muzaffarnagar and Delhi, sugar was sold up 10 rupees from previous close. In Mumbai, sugar was sold up 5 rupees from Monday. In Maharashtra, where prices had fallen for the last one week, demand also rose due to buying at lower price levels. In north India, soaring prices are unlikely to sustain due to record high sugar output in Uttar Pradesh. Mills across Uttar Pradesh produced 8.70 million tonne of sugar during Oct 1-May 1, up 28% from a year ago. The government had on Apr 5 allowed duty-free import of 500,000 tonne of raw sugar under the tariff rate quota. The most-active May contract was up 0.2%.

Futures contracts of raw sugar on the ICE rose over 1% due to a decline in production in Brazil Centre-South region in the first half of April. The contracts had declined to a 12-month low last week. the July contract was up 1.1% from the previous close. Mills in Brazil Centre-South region produced 704,000 tonne of sugar during the first fortnight of April, down 51% from a year ago. The sharp fall in sugar output could be attributed to lower grinding and a reduction observed in the production mix.

Shree Renuka Sugars gets 30% of total quota for raw sugar import.

Uttar Pradesh asks sugar mills to pay 15% interest on cane dues.

Sugar Up in north India as demand rises, down in Maharashtra.

Centre-South Brazil Apr 1-16 sugar output 704,000 tonne, down 51% YoY.

Directorate General of Foreign Trade allots 60% of 0.5 million tonne duty-free raw sugar import quota to south.