PUNE: Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA), an Indian farmers' body, has alleged that some sugar has already been brought into the country, even as government is still trying to assess the production in the country and need for any imports.
A release from CIFA stated: "As per market reports, some sugar has already been brought into the country by speculators, who are now putting pressure on the Government to reduce import duty so that they can immediately offload their sugar in the country." The farmers body claims to represent the sugarcane farmers and their associations and forums from the six top sugar producing states - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
CIFA has opposed sugar import claiming that imports at this juncture will result in artificial depression of sugar price that may harm the domestic sugarcane production and farmers.