DGFT Extends the Timeline to Surrender Unutilised Raw Sugar TRQ — A Cleanup Notice for Duty-Free Sugar Quota Holders

If your mill or refinery holds an allocation under India's 10 lakh MT duty-free raw sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) and you cannot use all of it, the DGFT has just given you more time to hand the balance back. Public Notice No. 30/2026-27, dated 14 September 2026, extends the timeline for the surrender of unutilised TRQ quantity allocated for the import of 10 lakh MT of raw sugar. It is a housekeeping measure, but it matters: surrendering quota you cannot use is what allows the government to reallocate it to those who can.

What Happened

The DGFT issued Public Notice 30/2026-27 on 14 September 2026 to extend the deadline by which allottees must surrender the unutilised portion of their raw sugar TRQ under the 10 lakh MT window. This sits alongside a companion notice, Public Notice No. 29/2026-27 (dated 3 September 2026), which extended the timeline for the one-time conversion of Advance Authorisation issued under SION E-52 to TRQ for the import of raw sugar. Together the two notices give quota holders and Advance Authorisation holders a longer runway to either use, convert or return their entitlements under the scheme.

Why / Background

Earlier in the season the DGFT opened the balance of the 10 lakh MT raw sugar TRQ for allocation on a daily, self-declaration basis through the Import Management System's TRQ module, with pro-rata allocation where a day's demand exceeded the balance. When quota is allocated but a mill's crushing plans, prices or logistics change, some of it inevitably goes unused. Extending the surrender window lets those unused quantities be released back into the pool in an orderly way rather than simply lapsing, keeping the duty-free channel available to refiners who still have demand. Because raw sugar imported under the TRQ enters at a concessional (nil) basic customs duty, the quota is valuable and precise reconciliation matters at the port and in the scheme records.

Who's Affected

Sugar mills, refiners and other eligible entities that received an allocation under the 10 lakh MT raw sugar TRQ, and Advance Authorisation holders under SION E-52 considering conversion to TRQ. Customs house agents handling raw sugar consignments for these importers should note the revised timelines so bills of entry and duty-free clearances line up with the allottee's remaining, valid quota.

What Sugar Importers and CHAs Should Do Now

• Reconcile your allocation against actual imports. Work out how much of your TRQ you will realistically use this season versus what should be surrendered.
• Surrender the balance within the extended window. If you cannot use part of your quota, hand it back through the Import Management System TRQ module before the revised deadline so it can be reallocated.
• Decide on SION E-52 conversion in time. If you hold an Advance Authorisation under SION E-52 and want to convert it to TRQ, act within the PN 29 extended timeline.
• Align customs clearances with valid quota. Ensure duty-free bills of entry are filed only against quota you still hold, to avoid duty demands or reconciliation issues.
• Read the exact dates off the notices. Confirm the specific extended deadlines directly from Public Notices 29 and 30/2026-27 rather than relying on summaries.

The Bigger Picture

These notices are part of the tight administrative management of sugar this season, when the export of sugar sits under prohibition up to 30 September 2026 even as duty-free raw sugar imports are being channelled through a managed quota. The government is using the Import Management System to run the TRQ dynamically — daily allocation, conversion routes and now extended surrender — so that scarce duty-free entitlements flow to genuine users. For quota holders the practical takeaway is discipline: use it, convert it, or return it, but do not let it sit idle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does Public Notice 30/2026-27 change? It extends the timeline for surrendering the unutilised quantity of the 10 lakh MT duty-free raw sugar TRQ, so allottees have longer to return quota they cannot use.

How is this different from Public Notice 29/2026-27? PN 29 extends the timeline for a one-time conversion of Advance Authorisation under SION E-52 to TRQ; PN 30 extends the timeline to surrender unutilised TRQ. They are complementary.

What happens to surrendered quota? Surrendered quantities are released back into the TRQ pool so they can be reallocated to eligible applicants who still have demand.

Does this affect the sugar export position? No. These notices concern duty-free raw sugar imports under the TRQ. India's sugar export prohibition is a separate measure with its own timeline.

Conclusion

Public Notice 30/2026-27 is a narrow but useful extension: it buys sugar TRQ holders time to reconcile and return what they cannot use. If you hold quota, treat this as the prompt to finalise your import plans and surrender the balance within the extended window — and confirm the precise dates directly from the notice.

This summary is for general guidance only. Confirm the exact terms and deadlines against DGFT Public Notices 29 and 30/2026-27 on the DGFT portal (dgft.gov.in) before acting.