Maharashtra sugar output estimated at 8.8 mt in 2014-15

Crushing season to begin from Oct 15

Maharashtra’s sugar production is estimated at 8.8 million tonnes in 2014-15, compared to 7.1 mt in 2013-14. The 2014-15 season begins after September.

This is a result of a rise in area sown under sugarcane to 1.05 million hectares from 936,000 ha earlier. Nearly 77 mt of cane will be available for crushing against 67.6 mt in the 2013-14 season.

A ministerial panel chaired by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan decided last week that the crushing season would begin from October 15.

Sanjeev Babar, managing director, Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories in Maharashtra, told Business Standard: ‘’The estimated sugar production of 8.8 mt for the ensuing season is based on recovery of 11.4 per cent. About 165 sugar factories, both cooperative and private, are expected to take part in this year’s crushing season, compared to 157 last year.’’

He said the carry-forward stock would be two mt. At the national level, it would be 8.5 mt.

He said the majority of factories in the state had paid the ‘Fair & Remunerative Price’ recommended by the central government to cane growers. ‘’The average FRP was Rs 2,600 a tonne, at a recovery of 11.4 per cent. Mill-wise FRP varies,’’ he added.

Babar said the Federation had appealed to the Centre to soon announce the sugar policy before the crushing season began. And, to issue a notification on the rise in import duty to 40 per cent, the decision having been  announced about two months earlier.