Sugar production picks up pace

In 2012-13, India produced around 25.1 million tonnes of sugar

With sugar mills ending their standoff over the payment of cane prices, crushing has started gaining pace across the country, after a sluggish start.

According to latest data from the Indian Sugar Mills Association (Isma), till December 15, India produced 2.42 million tonnes (mt) of sugar. Though this is about half the production in the year-ago period, it is an improvement compared to the 66 per cent fall recorded till November 30.

The sugar season runs from October to September.

In 2012-13, India produced 25.1 mt of sugar. It is expected in 2013-14, production will stand at 24.4 mt. Isma projects production in 2013-14 at 25 mt. “Till December 15, 426 sugar mills had started crushing, against 457 during the corresponding period last year,” Isma said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The statement said till December 15, 12.8 mt of cane had been crushed in Maharashtra, sugar production in the state stood at 1.2 mt, about 35 per cent lower than last year.

About 150 mills in the state had started crushing, against 155 last year. Of the 150 mills, 56 mills are private ones. In Uttar Pradesh, 110 mills had started crushing, against 116 last year; sugar production stood at 0.23 mt, 78 per cent less than last year.

Between October 1 and November 30, sugar imports stood at about 27,000 tonnes, while 0.22 mt had been exported, Isma said.