Late crushing keeps output down 21%

ISMA reports total sugar output at 8.55 mn tonnes as of Jan 15 this year

Sugar output in India fell 21 per cent in the first eight weeks of the cane crushing season, due to unprecedented delay in starting of activity. A rift between the government and mills on cane prices delayed crushing by three weeks.

The Indian Sugar Mills Association (Isma) reported output at 8.5 million tonnes as of Wednesday, compared to 10.8 mt a year ago.

In all, 505 mills had started crushing by Wednesday.

“Compared to last year, eight mills in Maharashtra and six in Tamil Nadu are yet to start operations,” said Isma.

Around 155 mills in Maharashtra have crushed 29.4 mt.

Last year till date, 163 mills were operational and had crushed 35.7 mt, to produce 3.8 mt of sugar.

Till Wednesday, output in Maharashtra was reported at 3 mt, with a 10.5 per cent recovery from cane.

Output in Uttar Pradesh was 2 mt, with 119 mills operating.

About 22.4 mt has been crushed, with 8.8 per cent of average recovery. Yields were lower as compared to last year but this could be compensated with higher reported sugar recoveries, about 0.04 per cent more than last year.

Sugar output in Karnataka was 1.6 mt, with 58 mills crushing. Last year till date, 56 mills were under operating and had produced about two mt of sugar.

Andhra’s sugar output was 0.39 mt, after crushing 4.15 mt of cane, with 9.28 per cent recovery. In all, 33 mills are operational against 35 last year.

All India, mills have produced 0.55 mt of raw sugar. They reported 0.53 mt of both white and raw sugar between October and December 2013.

Isma has forecast a sugar output of 25 mt this year, almost similar to last year.