Govt focuses to make sugar industry export oriented

Early season output to bridge supply deficit, says Minister

With sugar mills planning to commence cane crushing early this year, the pre-season supply is set to meet the deficit in some parts of the country, C R Choudhary, Minister for State, Food & Public Distribution, said on Friday.

For the first time, sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh have decided to commence crushing of cane in October this year. Mills in India's largest sugar producing state normally begin crushing in November with the maturing of standing crop. In Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, however, mills start crushing by mid-October. A recent survey conducted by the apex industry body Indian