Sugar output reaches 6.6 MT so far, 22.5 MT in 2016-17

Sugar production has touched 6.6 million tonnes so far during the 2016-17 marketing year and is estimated to fall at 22.5 million tonnes by September next.
Sugar production of India, the world's second largest producer and biggest consumer, stood at 25.1 million tonnes during 2015-16 marketing year (October-September).
"During the current sugar season 2016-17, the sugar mills of the country have commenced the crushing operation smoothly and have produced about 66 lakh tonnes of sugar so far," an official statement said.
The sugar production is expected to be about 22.5 million tonnes by the end of the season, it added.

"With a carryover stock of 7.71 million tonnes, the total availability of sugar is sufficient to meet the estimated domestic requirement of about 25 million tonnes," the statement said.
The closing stock of sugar is likely to be 5.21 million tonnes at the end of the current marketing year and the same would be carried forward for the 2017-18 season.

"Further, the sugar production in the next sugar season (2017-18) is expected to be good and is likely to start early and therefore there will be no shortage of domestically produced sugar in India," the statement said.
By November 2017, the government said that another 2 million tonnes would be available from early crushing.

"The government has taken necessary steps to maintain sufficient stocks in the country and keep the sugar prices under control," the statement said.