Ministry of Consumer Affairs issues Sugar (Stockholding Limit of Bulk Consumers) Order, 2026, imposing stockholding limit on bulk consumers of sugar

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has issued the Sugar (Stockholding Limit of Bulk Consumers) Order, 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The Order will come into effect on the 1st September 2026 and will remain in force upto 30th November 2026.

Key Highlights:

1. A bulk consumer using or consuming more than 10 metric tonnes (MT) of sugar per month as raw material for production, consumption or use must not keep sugar in stock for a period exceeding 15 days for such consumption or use.

2. For the purposes of the Order, “bulk consumer” means a confectioner, soft drink manufacturer, food processing industry, sweetmeat seller or any other institutional buyer consuming not less than 10 MT of sugar as average monthly consumption during the last one year, excluding the current month.

3. The monthly quantity of sugar sold by each sugar mill to a bulk consumer, whether directly or through dealers, must be verified. The consumption of sugar must be determined with reference to the GST returns filed by the sellers and/or buyers using the applicable Harmonised System of Nomenclature (HSN) Code for sugar.

Source: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution