Maharashtra produces 43 lakh tonnes of sugar till mid-Jan

Maharashtra has produced 43 lakh tonnes of sugar as on January 15 as compared to 31 lakh tonnes till January 15 last year.
As many as 173 sugar mills were in operation in the State as on January 15 and their output was 43 lakh tonnes. Last year, as on January 15, 154 sugar mills were in operation and they produced 31 lakh tonnes, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said in a statement here.
Since crushing operations in all Maharashtra-based sugar mills are in full swing due to better availability of sugarcane, their production has gone up as compared to last year, ISMA said.

In Karnataka, 63 sugar mills, which were in operation as on January 15 this year, have produced 17 lakh tonnes of the sweetener, the same as last year.
Ex-mill sugar prices in all parts of the country remain depressed during the last fortnight. Accumulation of sugar stock, without adequate demand from the market both from domestic and global, are the main factors for declining trend in sugar prices, the association said.
From October 1 to December 31, 2014, sugar mills in the country despatched 58 lakh tonnes of sugar in the domestic market as against 59 lakh tonnes in the same period last year.

Due to delay in announcement of continuation of incentive for production and export of raw sugar, the mills are not in a position to plan their raw sugar production, it said.
ISMA asked the Centre to provide incentives for production of raw sugar and export thereof to solve the issue of the depressed ex-mill sugar prices and ensure the mills are able to pay cane price to the farmers on time.
Otherwise, cane price arrears of farmers, which crossed Rs 13,000 crore in March last year, may be higher this season, it added.