Date:30/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/09/30/stories/2005093000691200.htm

Back 37 lt FSQ sugar for Oct-Dec

Our Bureau

New Delhi , Sept 29

THE Government has allotted 37 lakh tonnes (lt) of sugar as the indigenous free sale quota (FSQ) for mills for the October-December quarter. This is 7.5 per cent lower than the FSQ of 40 lt released for the corresponding period last year. However, it is almost nine per cent higher than the 34 lt FSQ set for the preceding quarter of July-September 2005.

The 37 lt FSQ is in addition to the 6.48 lt released as levy sugar, which mills have to supply for meeting the requirements of the public distribution system for the coming quarter (2.16 lt for each month).

Last year, during the October-December quarter, the total levy quota released was at the same level of 2.16 lt for each month.

Adding the FSQ with the levy quota and "with a festival quota of 54,155 tonnes already, the total availability of sugar during the quarter this year would be 44.02 lt," said an official release.

This is lower than the total availability of 46.48 lt sugar during October-December 2004.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said that it was monitoring the price and availability of sugar in the country.