India's sugar output down 26.15pc till Jan 15

The country's sugar production has declined sharply by 26.15 per cent to 10.88 million tonne till January 15 of the current marketing year due to fall in output in Maharashtra and Karnataka, industry body ISMA said on Friday.

Sugar output was 14.74 million during October-January 15 of the 2018-19 marketing year (October-September).

In its first estimate, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) had pegged sugar production lower at 26 million tonne for this year against 33.16 million tonne in 2018-19. The second estimate will be released next month.

Sugar production in Maharashtra -- the country's largest sugar producing state -- fell by 55.44 per cent to 2.55 million tonne till January 15, as against 5.72 million tonne in the same period last year.

About 139 sugar mills were in operation till January 15 as against 189 mills in the same period last year.

Whereas production in Uttar Pradesh, the country's second largest producing state, rose to 4.37 million tonne so far when compared to 4.19 million tonne a year ago.

About 119 mills were operating and average sugar recovery was 10.83 per cent so far.

The production in Karnataka, the country's third largest sugar producing state, declined by 18.16 per cent to 2.19 million tonne as against 2.67 million tonne in the said period.

Sugar production in Gujarat touched 3,72,000 tonne, Bihar at 3,30,000 tonne, Punjab 2,05,000 tonne, Haryana 2,00,000 tonne, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at 1,85,000 tonne, Uttarakhand 1,52,000 tonne, Tamil Nadu 1,50,000 tonne, and Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh 1,63,000 tonne till January 15 of this year, the data showed.

On ethanol, ISMA said about 156 crore litres has been finalised for supply to oil marketing companies (OMCs) after the first tender.

Of which, ethanol made from B heavy molasses and sugarcane juice is about 61.63 crore litres and 10.60 crore litres, respectively. It is learnt that the second round of tender is expected to be floated by OMC's shortly, it added.