Centre brings raw sugar into regulatory ambit

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The Union government, on Thursday (May 1, 2025), reviewed the Sugar (Control) Order of 1966 by bringing raw sugar into its ambit of regulation. Raw sugar will now be considered in the total stock of sugar across the country and the figures of the actual stock will also be available to the public. By the decision, the Centre hopes to put a stop to giving misleading names of raw sugar, which is gaining popularity and sold by the name of khandsari or organic.

Briefing reporters about the decision, a senior Food Ministry official khandsari sugar units having crushing capacity more than 500 Tons of Cane per Day (TCD) has been included in the Sugar Control Order of 2025. “Inclusion will ensure payment of fair and remunerative price to the farmers by khandsari sugar factories and will help in the accurate estimation of sugar production. A total of 373 khandsari units (with total capacity of about 95,000 TCD) are working in the country. Out of which, 66 (with total capacity of about 55,200 TCD) are more than 500 TCD,” the Ministry added in a release.

Along with this, different kinds of by-products such as cane bagasse, cane molasses, press mud cake or any other alternative product including ethanol (produced from cane molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar syrup, sugar) affecting sugar production from sugarcane are also included in the order. “Government will be able to regulate the diversion of sugar to ensure sufficient availability of sugar for domestic consumption,” the official said.

The order provides definitions to sugar, plantation white sugar, refined sugar, khandsari sugar, gur or jaggery, bura sugar, cube sugar, icing sugar, which are taken from the Food Safety Standard Authority of India. The Centre hopes that such definitions will ensure the uniformity in definition of various products.