Sugar production till mid-February up by 7.73%

Sugar production in the country has increased by 7.73 per cent year-on-year to 21.93 million tonne till February 15 but overall output at the end of the season would be lower than the previous year, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said on Wednesday.

Total sugar production in the country would be around 30.7 million tonne in 2018-19 as against 32.25 million tonne in 2017-18.

In a statement, the ISMA, which represents private sugar mills, said Uttar Pradesh has produced 6.39 million tonne of sugar till February 15 - 0.77 per cent more compared to corresponding period last year. However, total production will be less than last year due to lower yield per hectare.

Maharashtra has produced 8.29 million tonne till February 15 compared to 7.47 million tonne on the corresponding date last season. In Maharashtra too, the total production will be low this year as mills are expected to close earlier than last year.

Another major sugar producing state, Karnataka, has produced 3.87 million tonne so far.

The industry body said sugar production as on February 15 was 0.35 million tonne in Tamil Nadu, 0.49 million tonne in Bihar, 0.45 million tonne in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 0.21 million tonne in Punjab, 0.37 million tonne in Haryana, 0.21 million tonne in Uttarakhand and 0.3 million tonne in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

It said the government's decision to increase the minimum selling price of sugar last week from Rs 29 per kg to Rs 31 per kg will generate additional revenue for the sugar mills and help them in payment of cane price arrears.

--IANS

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