Overview
- Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said Tuesday that India will not curb sugar exports and will keep import duties on vegetable oils unchanged.
- The Indian Sugar & Bio‑energy Manufacturers Association now expects 2025–26 sugar use to fall by about 400,000 tonnes to 27.7 million tonnes because gas shortages slowed food service and March stayed cooler than usual.
- The Solvent Extractors’ Association said edible oil imports fell nearly 9% in March to 1.2 million tonnes as eateries cut frying when they could not get commercial LPG cylinders.
- Lower cane yields in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have pulled expected sugar output to about 32 million tonnes, down from a February estimate of 32.4 million tonnes.
- Restaurants and tea stalls report long waits for commercial LPG after the government redirected supply to households in a country that imports about 60% of its cooking gas, most of it from the Middle East.