India, Oct. 23 -- The government has extended the deadline for duty-free imports of one million tonnes of raw sugar under the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) to December 31, 2026, from the earlier deadline of October 31. The Finance Ministry had announced the import permission on August 20. The extension is intended to ensure sufficient sugar supplies during the festive season and help keep domestic prices at reasonable levels.

Around 2.6 lakh tonnes of raw sugar have reportedly been imported under the measure so far. Imports have remained limited as domestic sugar prices eased following the government's announcement allowing additional imports. The availability of an import option is also intended to help moderate price expectations and provid...