MUMBAI (Reuters) - Sugar mills in India's top producing state Maharashtra are allowed to start crushing operations from Nov. 5, nearly a month earlier than previously fixed commencement date, a senior government official told Reuters.
The state government had earlier asked mills to start operations from Dec. 1.
The government advanced crushing over concerns that large amounts of cane may be diverted for the production of unrefined sugar jaggery and mills in neighbouring Karnataka state may procure cane from the state, the official said on Wednesday.
Due to droughts, sugar production in Maharashtra is likely to drop nearly 40 percent to 5 million tonnes in the 2016/17 season started on Oct. 1 compared with a year earlier. This could force India, the world's biggest sugar consumer, to import as much as 2 million tonnes of sugar.
(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app