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- India exported 540k tonnes of raw and white sugar in April, up 66k tonnes month-on-month (MoM).
- This is an impressive pace of exports seeing as India was in coronavirus lockdown.
- 390k tonnes have already been nominated so far in May.
Indonesia Makes a Grand Return
- Indonesia imported raw sugar from India for the first time in nine years last month.
- This comes after a change to their import rules now allows them to trade sugar with India.
- Halfway through May, it’s apparent that this flow is continuing and also picking up for white sugar exports too.
- 91k tonnes of white sugar have already been nominated by Indonesia halfway through May.
- They have nominated more Indian white sugar than all other regions combined at this point.
- Having imported a massive 199k tonnes of Indian raw sugar in April, Indonesia have nominated an additional 31k tonnes so far in May.
Domestic Mill Exports
- 540k tonnes of raw and white sugar were exported from Indian mills last month.
- The month-on-month increase here is impressive, considering India was dealing with strict lockdown restrictions in April.
- With more of India’s lockdown restrictions now relaxed, May’s nominations are off to good start, with 390k tonnes already in the line-up.
- March was a seemingly slow month for the mills’ raws exports, especially after a record February.
- However, April saw this flow pick up again.
- This is largely owing to Indonesia making a grand return after nine years, importing 199k tonnes of raw sugar.
- The Indian mills’ white sugar exports were down 86k tonnes between March and April 2020, however.
- This flow was again impacted by the lockdown measures put in place to control the spread of the coronavirus.
- Mills will be hoping their offtake picks up again in May, as more lockdown measures are eased.
- It already looks as though it’s going that way, with 154k tonnes already nominated 13 days in.
Coastal Refinery Exports
- Coastal refinery exports were down 50k tonnes month-on-month.
- However, halfway through May and the flow here appears to be very strong with 151k tonnes already in the line-up.
- No Indian ports have reported any operational restrictions yet, so the refineries will be hoping all is well and good, in terms of these nominations materialising.