New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) The government on Thursday allowed duty-free imports of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar under tariff rate quota till October 31 amid rising prices of the sweetener in local markets.

The move is aimed at enhancing domestic availability and capping price rise.

"The import policy for raw sugar is amended to allow 10 lakh MT of duty-free imports under Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) till October 31, 2026," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification.

The order has come against the backdrop of a sharp rise in sugar prices, with ex-mill rates hitting record levels due to a lower opening stock ahead of the 2026-27 season. The all-India average ex-mill price rose to Rs 5,400-5,500 a quintal on Tuesday, up from Rs 3,900 a year earlier, according to an industry body.

Retail sugar prices have climbed about 13 per cent year-on-year to Rs 52.30 a kg as on August 18, from Rs 46.34 a year ago, as per consumer affairs ministry data.

Demand for sugar typically rises between August and November, as the country celebrates major festivals, such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, and Diwali.

To control prices, the government has also imposed a stockholding limit on bulk consumers who use more than 10 tonnes of sugar a month, capping their stock at 15 days' consumption. PTI RR MR