'Sugar output may remain subdued, mills prefer sugar over ethanol'

Due to below-average rainfall in the sugarcane-growing areas this year, the sugar output is likely to remain subdued, but the mills in Maharashtra are keen on using the crop to produce the sweetener more than diverting it to manufacture ethanol, a top official said on Wednesday.

Maharashtra produced a good amount of sugar in the past two years. But there was below-normal rainfall this year in sugar-producing areas, the official of Sugar Commissionerate told PTI. "The rainfall this time was less, hence the sugarcane production in the state will also remain low...During a meeting held with the stakeholders of sugar mills, they made this year's trend clear. As sugar is fetching good rates this year, the mills are keen on producing sugar. Hence, molasses diverted to make ethanol could be used to produce sugar this year," the official said. The sugar commissionerate had earlier predicted that in the 2023-24 sugar manufacturing season, 1,022 lakh metric tonnes of sugarcane will be available for crushing and 103.58 lakh metric tonnes of sugar will be produced. Fifteen lakh metric tonnes of sugarcane can be diverted for ethanol production, it said.

The number of days of the sugar production season may also come down this year amid lesser sugarcane production, the office predicted through a report.