The prohibition on sugar exports comes a day after the government hiked import duty on gold and other precious metals as a measure to curb non-essential imports and protect foreign exchange. The government is undertaking a series of measures to ensure energy availability and essential supplies in the country. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) late on Wednesday prohibited export of raw, white and refined sugar with immediate effect till September 30 amid inflation and future supply-related concerns in the backdrop of the ongoing West Asia conflict. The prohibition will not apply to sugar exports to the European Union and the US under the preferential quota, the notification said. The prohibition on sugar exports will also not apply to the advance authorisation scheme (AAS), government-to-government exports, and consignments already in the physical export pipeline, it stated.…