A desulfurization composition for off-furnace use consisting of crushed particles of sintered material comprising 100 parts by weight of calcium oxide and 3 to 50 parts by weight, in total, of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of up to 30 parts by weight of calcium fluoride, sodium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, barium fluoride, and sodium silicofluoride, and up to 40 parts by weight, in terms of sodium carbonate, of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, and sodium oxide.