Extra 1 mn tonnes sugar exports possible if output meets estimate: Govt

India, the world's second largest sugar producing nation after Brazil, has a cushion to export an additional 1 million tonnes of the sweetener if the domestic output reaches an estimated 33.6 million tonnes this year, a senior food ministry official said on Monday.

The government will take a call next month on allowing more quantities of sugar exports, after assessing domestic production, he said.

Sugar availability is comfortable in the country and as a result wholesale and retail prices of the sweetener are on a decline in the last one month.

The food ministry has allowed 6 million tonnes of sugar exports for the current 2022-23 marketing year (October-September).

India exported a record 11 million tonnes of sugar in the previous year.

"More exports are possible and we have a cushion for exports of additional one million tonnes, suppose the overall production reaches the estimated 33.6 million tonnes this year," the official said.

Sugar production has already reached 24.7 milli