HomeCirculars › RBI/2007-2008/127

Sugar Buffer Stock Financing: 30 Lakh Tonnes

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/127 · issued 31 Aug 2007 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs banks to finance an additional 30 lakh tonne sugar buffer stock (Aug 2007-Jul 2008). Banks must release Rs 630 crore as fresh credit to mills, with zero margin, exclusively for cane price payments. Total outgo including Sugar Development Fund is Rs 1,197 crore.

What changed

Government created a new buffer stock of 30 lakh tonnes of sugar for one year from August 1, 2007, on top of the existing 20 lakh tonne buffer. Banks are required to provide Rs 630 crore in additional credit to sugar mills against this buffer, with no margin requirement. The entire Rs 1,197 crore (including Rs 567 crore from Sugar Development Fund) must be used solely for paying cane farmers.

What it means for you

Banks must disburse Rs 630 crore as fresh working capital to sugar mills against the buffer stock, with zero margin as per earlier instructions. This credit is ring-fenced for cane price payments, reducing mills' liquidity stress and ensuring timely farmer payments. Non-compliance could disrupt the sugar supply chain and invite regulatory scrutiny.

Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.

What banks were required to do at the time

Who it affects

All scheduled commercial banks financing sugar mills, Sugar mills (cooperative and private) eligible for buffer stock credit, Sugarcane farmers (as ultimate beneficiaries of cane price payments)

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What is the total credit amount banks must release for this buffer stock?

Banks must release Rs 630 crore as additional credit to sugar mills against the 30 lakh tonne buffer stock, with zero margin.

Can banks charge margin on this buffer stock financing?

No. As per RBI's earlier circular (DBOD Dir.BC.8/13.03.00/2006-07 dated July 1, 2006), no margin is to be kept on buffer stocks of sugar.

What is the purpose of this credit?

The entire amount (Rs 630 crore from banks plus Rs 567 crore from Sugar Development Fund) must be used exclusively by sugar mills for payment of cane price to sugarcane farmers.

📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #2348: DBOD.BP.BC.No.29/08.07.06/2007-08 — "Advances to Sugar Industry - Holding of Buffer Stock" dated August 31, 2007”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2007-2008/127 DBOD.BP.BC. No. 29 / 08.07.06 / 2007-08 August 31, 2007 All Scheduled Commercial Banks Dear Sirs, Advances to Sugar Industry – Holding of Buffer Stock Please refer to our circular RBI/2007–08/91 DBOD.BP.BC.No.20/08.07.06/ 2007-08 dated July 11, 2007 on the captioned subject. 2. Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Department of Food & Public Distribution vide their order dated August 1, 2007( copy enclosed ) have decided to create a buffer stock of 30 lakh tons of sugar for a period of one year with effect from August 01, 2007 to July 31,2008. This is in addition to the buffer stock of 20 lakh tons created earlier vide their notification dated April 20, 2007. The creation of this buffer stock of 30 lakh tons will involve an outgo of Rs.567 crore from Sugar Development Fund. Further Rs.630 crore is to be released by the scheduled banks to the concerned sugar mills as additional credit on their buffer stock quantity. The entire amount of Rs.1197 crore including Rs.630 crore to be released by the commercial banks is to be used exclusively by the sugar mills for payment of cane price to the sugarcane farmers. 3. The Managing Director, National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Ltd, New Delhi; The Director General, Indian Sugar Mills Association, New Delhi, All State level sugar federations/associations of sugar mills have been advised by the Government to inform their member sugar factories of the Government’s decision conveyed vide order dated August 1, 2007. 4. Banks are advised to finance the creation of Buffer Stock as per instructions issued by Government of India. In this connection, banks may please refer to instructions contained in para 2.4.4 of DBOD Circular No.Dir.BC.8/13.03.00/2006-07 dated July 1, 2006 advising the banks that no margin is to be kept in respect of buffer stocks of sugar. They may also refer to and continue to be guided by the operational instructions issued vide our Circular DBOD.BP.BC.No.20 / 08.07.06 / 2007-08 dated July 11, 2007 in this regard. Yours faithfully, (Prashant Saran) Chief General Manager-In-Charge F.No. 1(5)/2007-SP Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and PD Department of Food and PD Directorate of Sugar Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi Dated 1st August, 2007 O R D E R  Subject :   Creation of buffer stock of 30 lac tons – reg.      The Central Government hereby creates a buffer stock of 30 lac tons of sugar for a period of one year with effect from 1st August, 2007 to 31st July, 2008.  This buffer stock of 30 lac tons is in addition to the buffer stock of 20 lac tons created vide notification dated 20th April, 2007. 2. Consistent with the objectives of food security, the total actual quantity held in buffer stock shall be released by the Central Government through the Public Distribution System or through sales to the domestic market. (S.K. Srivastava) Joint Secretary to the Government of India Distribution : 1. The Managing Director, National Federation of
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/127 · issued 31 Aug 2007. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=3790&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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