The Sugar (Control) Order, 2025, issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, supersedes the Sugar (Control) Order, 1966, and the Sugar Price (Control) Order, 2018. Effective from its publication in the Official Gazette, it aims to regulate the production, sale, storage, movement, and quality of sugar and its by-products in India. Below is a concise overview:
- Objective and Scope: The order empowers the Central Government to regulate the sugar industry, including production, pricing, distribution, and quality control, to ensure market stability and compliance with food safety standards.
- Key Definitions:
- Sugar: Includes raw, refined, plantation white, khandsari, bura, cube, and icing sugar, with sucrose content above 90%.
- By-products: Includes cane bagasse, molasses, press mud, and ethanol from sugar-based feedstocks.
- Producer/Dealer: Entities involved in manufacturing, trading, or processing sugar.
- Khandsari Sugar: Two varieties (Desi and Sulphur) with specific sucrose, moisture, and ash standards.
- Cane Molasses: Categorized into A-Heavy, B-Heavy, and C-Heavy based on purity levels.
- Regulatory Powers:
- Production and Diversion: The Central or State Government (with Central approval) can regulate sugar production and its diversion for ethanol or other products.
- Sale and Storage: Producers cannot sell or dispose of sugar without Central Government directives, except for pledging to banks.
- Minimum Selling Price: Determined considering sugarcane’s fair price, conversion costs, and by-product revenue.
- Movement: Sugar transport requires permits or military credit notes.
- Quality Control: Sugar must conform to Indian Sugar Standard Grades, with substandard stocks reprocessed or redirected to bulk consumers.
- Inspection and Compliance:
- Authorized officers can inspect, search, seize, and sample sugar stocks to ensure compliance.
- Sampling follows standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards or Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
- Producers and dealers must maintain records, provide information, and comply with all orders.
- Delegation: The Central Government may delegate its powers to designated officers or State authorities.
- Food Safety: The FSSAI regulates safety and quality aspects under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Significance: The order ensures a structured framework for the sugar industry, balancing production, pricing, and quality while supporting food safety and market stability. It aligns with modern regulatory needs, incorporating digital compliance mechanisms and addressing ethanol production from sugar-based feedstocks.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- What is the legal basis for the Sugar (Control) Order, 2025?
a) Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
b) Essential Commodities Act, 1955
c) Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
d) Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Answer: b) Essential Commodities Act, 1955 - When does the Sugar (Control) Order, 2025 come into force?
a) 1st May, 2025
b) Date of publication in the Official Gazette
c) 1st June, 2025
d) Upon approval by State Governments
Answer: b) Date of publication in the Official Gazette - Which of the following is NOT considered a by-product under the Order?
a) Cane bagasse
b) Cane molasses
c) Refined sugar
d) Press mud cake
Answer: c) Refined sugar - What is the minimum sucrose content for khandsari sugar (Sulphur) as per the Order?
a) 90% by weight
b) 93% by weight
c) 96.5% by weight
d) 99.5% by weight
Answer: c) 96.5% by weight - Who can issue directions to regulate the sale or disposal of sugar by producers?
a) State Government independently
b) Central Government
c) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
d) National Sugar Institute
Answer: b) Central Government - What is required for the transport of sugar under the Order?
a) A general or special permit
b) A court order
c) A bank guarantee
d) Approval from FSSAI
Answer: a) A general or special permit - Which authority regulates the safety and quality aspects of sugar under the Order?
a) Bureau of Indian Standards
b) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
c) National Sugar Institute
d) Reserve Bank of India
Answer: b) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) - What is the maximum moisture content allowed in cube sugar?
a) 0.25% by weight
b) 0.5% by weight
c) 0.7% by weight
d) 1.5% by weight
Answer: a) 0.25% by weight - Under what condition can seized sugar be released for sale?
a) After reprocessing
b) On production of a bank guarantee
c) After court approval only
d) Upon payment of a fine
Answer: b) On production of a bank guarantee - Who can the Central Government delegate its powers to under the Order?
a) Any officer or authority of the Central or State Government
b) Private sugar mills
c) Food business operators
d) Non-Banking Financial Companies
Answer: a) Any officer or authority of the Central or State Government
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the Sugar (Control) Order, 2025?
The Sugar (Control) Order, 2025 is a regulatory framework issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. It governs the production, sale, storage, movement, pricing, and quality of sugar and its by-products in India, superseding the 1966 and 2018 sugar control orders. - What types of sugar are covered under the Order?
The Order covers various forms of sugar with sucrose content above 90%, including raw sugar, plantation white sugar, refined sugar, khandsari sugar, bura sugar, cube sugar, icing sugar, and sugar candy, as well as sugar in crystalline, powdered, or liquid form. - What are the standards for khandsari sugar under the Order?
Khandsari sugar is categorized into Desi (sucrose ≥ 93%, moisture ≤ 1.5%, ash ≤ 0.7%) and Sulphur (sucrose ≥ 96.5%, moisture ≤ 1.5%, ash ≤ 0.5%) varieties. It must be free from dirt, filth, iron filings, and added coloring matter, with extraneous matter not exceeding 0.25% by weight. - How does the Order regulate sugar production?
The Central Government or State Government (with Central approval) can mandate that sugar and its by-products be produced only under conditions specified in an Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum. It also regulates the diversion of sugar for ethanol or other products. - Can producers sell sugar freely?
No, producers cannot sell, dispose of, or remove sugar from their premises without written directions from the Central Government, except when pledging sugar to scheduled banks or licensed Non-Banking Financial Companies. - How is the minimum selling price of sugar determined?
The Central Government sets the minimum selling price by considering the fair and remunerative price of sugarcane, average conversion costs, financial costs, and revenue from by-products like molasses, bagasse, and press mud. - What are the requirements for transporting sugar?
Sugar can only be transported with a general or special permit issued by the Central Government or a military credit note, as specified in the Order. - How is the quality of sugar ensured?
The Central Government prescribes quality standards based on Indian Sugar Standard Grades. Substandard sugar must be reprocessed or sold to bulk consumers. The FSSAI ensures safety and quality compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. - What powers do authorities have for inspection and enforcement?
Authorized officers can inspect, search, seize, and sample sugar stocks, stop and search transport vehicles, and demand records or information from producers and dealers to ensure compliance with the Order. - What happens to seized sugar stocks?
Seized sugar cannot be sold without Central Government directions. However, it can be released for sale upon production of a bank guarantee equivalent to the stock’s value until the case is resolved. - How are samples drawn for testing?
Samples are drawn as per the procedures outlined in IS 14818:2017 (Bureau of Indian Standards) or FSSAI regulations, following the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, and Laboratory and Sample Analysis Regulations, 2011. - Can the Central Government delegate its powers?
Yes, the Central Government can delegate its powers to any officer or authority of the Central or State Government through a notification in the Official Gazette, subject to specified restrictions or conditions.