Sugar production to decline 5% on adverse climate

Decline due to unfavourable climatic condition resulting into lower yield in major growing areas

India’s sugar output is likely to decline 5.33 per cent this season, as unfavourable climatic conditions are likely to lead to lower yields in major growing areas. The second advance estimate by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (Isma) estimates total production this year at 23.8 million tonnes (mt), compared with 25.14 mt last year. At the beginning of this season, Isma had pegged production at 25 mt.

The primary reason behind the fall in the estimate was the fact that in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the crop was hit by heavy rains. “Owing to unfavourable weather conditions in the last several months, including heavy rainfall in certain parts of Uttar Pradesh (the second-largest producing state), the low availability of water in Maharashtra (the largest producing state), and north Karnataka, and the low availability of water in Tamil Nadu, the sugar production estimate for this year is revised downwards to 23.8 mt from 25 mt,” said an Isma statement.

The revised estimate also took into account cane diversion towards alternative sweeteners such as jaggery and khandsari.

Major sugar producers Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are expected to produce 6.6 mt, 7.8 mt, 3.5 mt, 1.5 mt, 1.17 mt and 0.95 mt, respectively. It is expected production in Uttar Pradesh will fall by 1.1 mt and that in Tamil Nadu by 0.1 mt, compared to the previous state.