Lower cane output cuts crushing season by a month

Lower sugarcane production this year has cut the cane crushing season by almost a month this years. Almost all the sugar factories in Gujarat have completed crushing by the end of March. Last year, witnessed crushing activities till the end of April due to high cane output.

"Usually, crushing season lasts till 220 days depending upon the quantity of production. However, it has been cut short to 140 to 150 days on account of the fall in sugarcane output this year", said Mansinh Patel, president, Federation of Gujarat State Co-operative Sugar Factories (FGSCSF).

According to industry players, out of the total 17 co-operative sugar factories in Gujarat, all the factories except Sayan and Gandevi sugar factories have finished crushing for the season. Sayan and Gandevi will soon complete the crushing.

"At a time when sugarcane production was high, the crushing season used to last till the end of May or June. However, crushing activities have been wound up early this year following lower production", said Dilip Bhakta, chairman of Madhi Sugar Co-operative.

It may be mentioned here that total area of 1.90 lakh hectares were brought under sugarcane plantation in 2007-08, which came down to approximately 1.65 lakh hectares in 2008-09.

As a result, only 110 to 115 lakh metric tonnes of cane should have gone for crushing as against the total 130 lakh metric sugarcane crushed in 2007-08. The final figures pertaining to crushing will come after three to four days when all the factories are through with crushing.

In the wake of dip in cane output sugar production in the state is likely to decline by 25 per cent. Sugar production in the state stood at around 13 lakh metric tonnes in 2007-08, which is estimated to be around 9 lakh metric tonnes.

Sugarcane plantations in the state remained higher in past couple of years, which forced many farmers to shift to other crops as they were not getting good prices.

"Apart from this, unfavourable weather conditions also affected the yield", said Bhakta.