Punjab sugar output may touch 46 mn quintals

Sugar output in Punjab in the current crushing season is likely to touch 4.6 million quintals, compared to 4.3 million quintals in the corresponding period of last year.

According to data, the increase in areage and good recovery of sugar has resulted would result in the increase in production.

The total estimated area under sugarcane cultivation in Punjab stands at 96,000 hectares this year; last year it was 83,000 hectares. According to data, in the current crushing season, sugarcane output in the state was likely to touch 69.0 million quintals, as compared to 56.30 million quintals during the corresponding period last year.

Last year, the crop was good as 16 sugar mills in the state crushed 46.9 million quintal of sugarcane at a recovery rate of 8.80 per cent. The increase in output was mainly because of increase in area coupled with expectations of better recovery (of sugar) as compared to last year. This year, it is expected that 16 sugar mills in the state would crush 49.0 million quintals of cane.

The state has 9 mills in cooperative sector with installed capacity of 15,766 TCD and 7 mills in private sector having installed capacity of 31,000 TCD(tonnes crushed per day).

It is worth mentioning that in 2009-10, sugar output in Punjab touched a historic low of 1.8 million quintals owing to shortage in cane crop and lower crushing. But over the years, the state has laid emphasis on diversification which yielded results which led to increase in area