All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) has said that India exported 3.15 lakh tonne sugar during October-February in the current 2025-26 marketing year (October-September), with the UAE emerging as the top destination. Sugar exports remain under government control through quotas distributed proportionally among mills. The central government had approved total exports of 2 million tonne for 2025-26 marketing year, including an additional 5,00,000 tonne permitted recently.

AISTA stated that white sugar accounted for 2,57,971 tonne of total shipments, with refined sugar making up 53,664 tonne. The UAE received the largest volume at 79,683 tonne, followed by Afghanistan 71,813 tonne, Djibouti 45,801 tonne and Tanzania with 21,330 tonne. 

Citing lower yields in key producing states due to adverse weather, AISTA in its second estimate said that India's sugar output for the 2025-26 season has been revised down 4.4 per cent to 28.3 million tonne from an earlier first estimate of 29.6 million tonne.