The government has fixed the sugar sales quota for October at 1.40 million tonnes, up from 1.30 million tonnes in September, to meet the demand for sugar during Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra and Diwali.

The government increased the sugar sales quota in October.

Festivals like Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra, and Diwali will see a huge demand for sweets, which will also increase the demand for sugar. In response, the government has increased sugar sales quotas to prevent prices from rising due to increased demand during the festivals.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution has set a sugar sales quota of 1.40 million tonnes for the first 15 days of October, an increase from the 1.30 million tonnes set for the same period in September. As already mentioned, this increased quota has been set ahead of Navratri, Durga Puja, and Dussehra in October, and then Diwali in November, when demand for sugar typically increases during these periods.

Quota is decided every 15 days

The government has instituted a system of setting sugar sales quotas every 15 days since September. Previously, quotas were issued for the entire month at once. This often led to large traders holding back stocks at the end of the month to artificially inflate prices.

Now, a review is conducted every 15 days, assessing market demand for sugar, and then adjusting the availability accordingly. This move aims to stabilize supply and prevent sudden price increases. The quota for October 2025 was 2.40 million tons, compared to 2.55 million tons for October 2024.

Prices had increased a lot

Sugar prices surged sharply in July and August, raising concerns about supply shortages and speculative buying in the coming months. However, the government then took several steps, including setting stock limits for traders and allowing the import of raw sugar, which improved the supply situation. Currently, retail sugar prices have fallen by 11-12% from their record highs to an average of around ₹57.50 per kilogram.