NEW DELHI, Oct 23: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tonight assured the sugar industry that government would soon consider hiking import duty on sugar to protect domestic industry against dumping by international suppliers."The Prime Minister told us that government would look into the issue of dumping of sugar by other countries and take a decision," leader of opposition Sharad Pawar, who led a sugar industry delegation talks with Vajpayee told PTI. Earlier, food minister S S Barnala had told reporters that import duty would be hiked in a "day or two".Pawar, who was accompanied by National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories president Shivajirao Patil and Indian Sugar Mills Association president Shishir Bajaj, told Vajpayee that India could not allow dumping of sugar by neighbouring Pakistan. "How can you allow Pakistan to dump sugar in India when your government advocates swadeshi," Pawar asked the Prime Minister.The leader of the opposition also said he told Vajpayee that with a 55 lakhtonnes carry-over stock and a good crop production estimated next year, there was no need to worry about the sugar availability.Barnala, minister of state Satyapal Singh Yadav, sugar and edible oil secretary R P Sinha and finance secretary Vijay Kelkar were also present at the meeting.Minister of state for agriculture Sompal Shastry also said on the sidelines of annual general meeting of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCST) that the "decision on hiking import duty will be taken at the next meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on October 27." Both Barnala and Sompal however refused to divulge details of the government proposal.In April last, government had imposed a five per cent basic customs duty and Rs 85 per quintal countervailing duty on sugar imports.The industry has been demanding a steep hike in import duty on sugar and NFCST president Shivajirao G Patil today demanded a 50 per cent import duty on sugar. "There is every reason to hike importduty on sugar. In all other countries, import duty is not less than 30 per cent," Sompal said, justifying government move to raise import duty.When asked about the exact hike in import duty, he said "it does not matter by how much the duty is being raised. The matter is to be taken up by CCEA."Earlier, inaugurating NFCST annual general meeting, Barnala said government would soon take a decision on sugar industry's demand to hike import duty. "The government is continuously monitoring the level of imports and its prices. We are also taking cognisance of its impact on the domestic industry," he said.Referring to various suggestions of the industry, including decontrol of the sector, he said all issues were being considered by the government.Barnala said government would also discuss recommendations of the high-powered committee headed by former food secretary B B Mahajan and decide on the suggestions. "We have sought the views of all ministries concerned in this regard," he said.Stating thatrains and floods had affected sugarcane crop in Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh, he said accurate estimates of sugarcane crop and sugar production were unavailable now.The food ministry had asked states to provide a correct picture but tentatively it had been estimated that sugar production this season (October 1998-September 1999) would be higher than the last season.Calling upon the sugar industry to adopt eco-friendly techniques to avoid pollution, Barnala also stressed the need for increased yield, better quality of sugar cane besides upgrading technology in sugar factories.Sompal, in his address, said he had already raised the issue of increasing sugar imports with finance minister Yashwant Sinha.
