A test carried out on 10 types of salt and five types of sugar, purchased from online and local markets in India, showed the presence of microplastics in all samples
The government is likely to take a decision on increasing the minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar within the next few days, Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said on Saturday. Speaking on the sidelines of a conference organised by All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA), Chopra said, "We are discussing the MSP (proposal). In the coming days, we will hopefully take a call." MSP of sugar has remained unchanged at Rs 31 per kg since 2019, despite annual hikes in the fair and remunerative price (FRP) paid to sugarcane farmers. Industry bodies, including National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), have urged the government to raise the MSP to at least Rs 42 per kg to help mills sustain operations amid rising production costs. Chopra noted that sugar production for the 2024-25 season (October-September) looks promising, with the area sown to sugarcane increasing to 58 lakh hectare so far from 57 lakh hectare during the same period last year. For the 2023-24 season,
According to reports, a senior Government official stated that the revision is likely to apply to the next sugar season and not the ongoing one
Prices of some farm commodities have softened from their peaks, with state agencies also cracking down on hoarding and selling some grains from state reserves
E.I.D. Parry India Ltd has reported a consolidated profit after tax for the January-March 2024 quarter at Rs 294.30 crore, the company said. The city-based sugar manufacturer had registered a consolidated PAT at Rs 286.90 crore during the corresponding quarter of last year. Commenting on the financial performance, Managing Director S Suresh said, "the operating performance of the standalone sugar division was lower during the year as compared to the previous year on account of nil exports, higher cane cost, lower recovery from cane and change in product mix in distellery on account of change in Government policy." The overall cane crush marginally reduced during the year from 51.81 LMT metric tonne to 50.09 LMT and sugar sales reduced from 5.20 LMT (lakh metric tonne) to 4.64 LMT, he said. For the financial year ending March 31, 2024 the consolidated profit after tax fell to Rs 1,617.57 crore, from Rs 1,827.74 crore registered a year ago. The consolidated total income during the .
But this year demand is above average as heat waves and election rallies boost consumption of ice-cream and soft drinks, said Avantika Saraogi, executive director at Balrampur Chini Mills
The government on Monday ruled out possibility of allowing sugar exports in the current 2023-24 season ending October, the industry's persistent demand notwithstanding. Currently, there are curbs on export of sugar for an indefinite period. However, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has requested the government to allow export of 10 lakh tonne of sugar in the 2023-24 season, anticipating healthy closing stock by the season-end. "As of now, the government is not considering sugar exports although the industry has demanded," a senior food ministry official told PTI. The country's sugar production crossed 30 million tonne till March of the ongoing 2023-24 season. ISMA has revised net sugar production estimate for 2023-24 season to 32 million tonne. The government has estimated sugar output at 31.5-32 million tonne. Meanwhile, the government is considering allowing sugar mills to use excess stock of B-heavy molasses for ethanol production this year.
Sugar industry body ISMA on Wednesday revised its estimates for gross production of the sweetener by 9.5 lakh tonnes to 340 lakh tonnes in the marketing year ending September. In January, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) had projected the gross sugar production, without any diversion for ethanol, at 330.5 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 marketing year (October-September). In a statement, ISMA said the gross sugar production is now estimated at 340 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, as against the gross output of 366.2 lakh tonnes in the previous year. The executive Committee of ISMA in its meeting held on March 12, noted the sugar recovery, cane yield, remaining harvestable area / sugarcane and expected dates of closure of factories in different States. The panel agreed that sugarcane availability in Maharashtra and Karnataka is higher than expected. However, cane availability in another major state, Uttar Pradesh, is predicted to be lower than earlier estimates. "Accordingly, ISMA has revised
Households have reduced spending on the food item for two decades now, but its production keeps increasing
Over 99 per cent sugar cane dues to farmers in the country have been cleared by mills which amounts to over Rs 1.14 lakh crore out of the Rs 1.15 lakh crore outstanding, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. He also said that now only Rs 516 crore outstanding is due with regards to three sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh against whom action is being taken. Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce, Industry, Consumer Affairs and food, said in 2013-14, Rs 57,000 crore had been given to farmers as sugar cane price. Cane price dues used to be given to farmers after two-three years. However, in 2022-23, cane production increased by one-and-a-half times and cane dues stood at Rs 1,15,000 crore. "Of this, Rs 1,14,000 crore has been paid to farmers on time which is more than 99 per cent," he said, inviting a sharp response from some opposition members who claimed the figures were not correct. The minister said productivity of the mills has increased, cooperative mills have .
Ethanol policy has helped in reducing carbon emissions and fuel import bill, he says
But, no mention of ethanol from cane juice and b-heavy molasses
Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) on Tuesday said it has requested the government to permit diversion of additional 10-12 lakh tonnes of sugar for ethanol production in the current season, amid reports of higher output. The government has capped sugar diversion for ethanol making at 17 lakh tonnes for the current 2023-24 season (October-September) in view of likely fall in sugar production due to drought in parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Till January 15 of the ongoing season, ISMA said mills have manufactured 149.52 lakh tonnes of the sweetener, down by 5.28 per cent from 157.87 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period. However, as per reports, recent weather has been favourable for the standing cane crop and cane commissioners of major states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka have done upward revision in their sugar production estimates for 2023-24 SS to the tune of 5-10 per cent each," ISMA said in a statement. "We also believe that sugar production in the current
4.5 mn farmers in the state are directly dependent on the crop; price raised ahead of national elections
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday assured sugar mill owners that a solution to their problems owing to the government's policy on the use of sugar for ethanol production will be found after April, and they should not worry. India will one day become an exporter of energy and there was a need to develop agriculture for this to happen, he said, speaking at the International Sugarcane Conference organized by the Vasantdada Sugar Institute here. The institute is headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. The Union government last year banned the use of sugarcane juice for making ethanol, but later reversed the decision by allowing the use of sugarcane juice as well as B-heavy molasses to produce the green fuel but capped the diversion of sugar at 17 lakh tonnes. Gadkari said the sugar industry should give more importance to ethanol production. "Maximum ethanol, minimum sugar. With ethanol, we need to promote flex engine vehicles and at the same time, the government will take ...
A state-run sugar factory, which has been shut in South Goa since 2019, would resume operation in the next one year and produce ethanol from sugarcane, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said. The Request For Qualification (RFQ) has been invited from the eligible bidders to re-start the Sanjivani Sugar Factory to produce ethanol from the sugarcane available in the surrounding talukas, he told reporters on Tuesday. The assurance was given as the sugarcane farmers were protesting since January 2, demanding resumption of operations at the factory, located at Usgao village in South Goa district. The state-run factory, which was started in 1974, produced sugar by procuring sugarcane from farmers till 2019, before it was shut due to the mounting debt. Sawant said the farmers need not protest as they are already being offered compensation for the last four years due to closure of the factory. He said the farmers have been cumulatively paid a compensation of Rs 30 crore by the state ...
Currently, the company has significant Chlor Alkali facilities in Bharuch and aims at increasing the existing capacities while adding new products to its Chlor-Alkali portfolio
India's sugar production fell 11 per cent year-on-year to 74.05 lakh tonnes during the October 1-December 15 period of the current marketing year, mainly due to lower output in Maharashtra and Karnataka, according to industry body ISMA. The sugar marketing year runs from October to September. In a statement, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said that the sugar production till December 15 in the current 2023-24 marketing year reached 74.05 lakh tonnes against 82.95 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. The number of operating factories stood unchanged year-on-year at 497. "Notably, this year sugar factories in Maharashtra and Karnataka started around 10-15 days later compared to the last year," ISMA said. In Uttar Pradesh, sugar production has increased to 22.11 lakh tonnes till December 15 of the 2023-24 marketing year compared to 20.26 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period. However, the sugar output declined in Maharashtra to 24.45 lakh tonnes from
ISMA says move may delay cane price payment to farmers
The 2023-24 sugar season started in October, while the ethanol supply year (ESY) started in November