10-1
India tightens sugar stock rules from October 15, caps most dealers at 1,000 quintals
India will shorten the period sugar dealers can hold stocks to 15 days and cap inventories at 1,000 quintals in most parts of the country, aiming to curb hoarding and ensure festive-season supplies. The revised rules will apply from October 15 through November 30, 2026. Official data show average retail sugar prices are down about 15% from their August peak, while exmill prices have fallen around 28% and have been stable for the past three weeks.
10-1
9-15
HDFC Bank shares gain over 2% as CEO succession shortlist is sent to RBI
HDFC Bank has submitted two names to the Reserve Bank of India for approval as the next MD and CEO, as current chief Sashidhar Jagdishan’s term ends on October 26. The move marks tangible progress in the succession process and eases concerns about a leadership gap. One of the candidates, Kaizad Bharucha, has been with the bank since 1995 and has served on its board as an executive director since 2014. Under RBI rules, a private bank MD or CEO cannot serve more than 15 years continuously, and Bharucha would hit that limit in June 2029, for which the bank has sought a relaxation of around six months.
9-15
9-10
India tells sugar mills to keep supplies adequate and prices in check for festival season
India’s government has urged sugar mills to ensure adequate market supply and keep prices stable during the festival season. It has approved a duty-free import quota of 1 million metric tonnes of sugar to ease domestic price pressure. Sugar prices have slipped from last month’s record high but remain nearly 20% higher than two months ago, with import applications received for around 800,000 metric tonnes.
9-10
9-7
Rising sugar costs push food makers toward price hikes and smaller packs ahead of India’s festive season
India’s sugar recovery rate has continued to decline, tightening supply and lifting prices. Wholesale sugar prices rose to Rs 5,747 per quintal in September, up more than 30% from June. Sugar companies’ procurement costs remain elevated, prompting Bikaji Foods to begin rolling out a roughly 2% price increase. Analysts warn prices for festive-season staples such as biscuits and sweets could rise another 2–5%.
9-7
8-25
India lifts wheat export ban imposed in May 2022, switches policy to “free”
India said it has lifted, with immediate effect, the wheat export ban in place since May 2022 to help improve farmers’ earnings. The government said domestic prices are currently low and the country has adequate stocks, including nearly 49 million tonnes of buffer wheat held by the Food Corporation of India. India harvested a record 120.65 million tonnes of wheat in the 2025–26 crop year, while a licence-based system had previously allowed exports of 60 lakh tonnes, of which 2.5 lakh tonnes have been shipped.
8-25
8-19
India weighs ending 100% sugar import duty as cane diversion to E20 pushes prices to record Rs 5,350 per 100 kg
India is considering scrapping the 100% import duty on sugar as domestic prices surge and supplies tighten. Wholesale prices in Kolhapur, Maharashtra have climbed nearly 20% since the start of August to a record Rs 5,350 per 100 kg. A growing share of sugarcane is being diverted to ethanol production under the E20 drive, squeezing sugar availability. The plan to remove the duty was reported by Reuters on Tuesday.
8-19