Sugar output seen falling 14% next season, opening stock to hit record high

Industry pins hope on exports, ethanol procurement by OMCs for buoyancy; opening stock in Oct 2019 seen at thrice 'normative requirement' of 5 mn tonnes in carryover stock

The country’s sugar output in the 2019-20 season is projected by the industry to dip by 14 per cent from the current one, to 28.2 million tonnes (mt) from almost 33 mt now.

The next sugar year officially begins on October 1. The Indian Sugar Mills Association (Isma) has made a preliminary estimate, based on satellite images. It says output will lessen due to poor rainfall and low water availability in three major cane growing states — Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The stock, as the next sugar year begins is expected to be a record high of 14.5 mt, almost three