New Delhi: India’s more than 500 sugar factories have produced more than 283 lakh tons of sugar till March 15 in the current sugar season. It is an increase of 23.89 lakh tons during the same period of last year when it was over 259.37 lakh tons, recording an increase of 9.2 per cent. According to industry estimates, this year 516 sugar mills, covering both private sector and cooperative sugar mills, have started sugarcane crushing operations as against 503 mills last year.
According to the latest data released by the industry body – the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) – as of Tuesday (March 15), 81 mills have stopped crushing while 435 mills were still crushing. The number of sugar mills that stopped crushing by the same time last year was 172 while 331 mills were operating.
Maharashtra produces 109 lakh, UP 78 lakh tons sugar
India’s western state of Maharashtra, which is one of the two biggest sugarcane-producing states in the country, reported a nearly 16 per cent increase in sugar production this year as it went up to 108.95 lakh tons as against 94.05 lakh tons of sugar produced during the same period last year. In the current 2021-22 sugar season (Oct-Sept 2022 period), 13 mills have closed their crushing operations in the state and most of them are located in the Kolhapur region while 184 sugar mills are still operating.
In India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh, which is also one of the two biggest sugar-producing states along with Maharashtra, 120 sugar mills which were in operation, have produced 78.33 lakh tons of sugar till March 15. It is a decline of more than 7.5 per cent. In Uttar Pradesh, 16 sugar mills, mostly located in Uttar Pradesh, have stopped crushing while the remaining 104 mills are still crushing sugarcane.
Also read: India waiting for rise in global sugar prices to strike export deals: ISMA
Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu record higher production
In the southern state of Karnataka, which is the third biggest sugarcane producing state in the country, 72 sugar mills have produced 54.65 lakh tons of sugar till March 15, which is an increase of over 30 per cent in the production this year, which was estimated to be nearly 42 lakh tons during the same period last year. Out of the 72 sugar mills, 24 mills have closed their operations in the State and 48 mills are still operating in the State.
In Gujarat, 15 sugar mills are currently in operation and have produced 9.15 lakh tons of sugar till 15th March 2022, an increase of nearly 8 per cent. In the case of Tamil Nadu, 26 sugar mills started sugarcane crushing for the current season with 5.75 lakhs tons of sugar by March 15, as compared to 4.16 lakh tons produced during the same period last year.
Other states produce over 24 lakh ton sugar
Other sugar-producing states such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Odisha have collectively produced 26.43 lakh tons of sugar till March 15. According to the latest industry data, 2 mills in Andhra Pradesh, 3 mills in Telangana, 9 mills in Bihar, 6 mills in Punjab, 5 mills in Madhya Pradesh, one mill each in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan Odisha have stopped their sugarcane crushing operations for the current season.
Also read: Ethanol production through sugar could boost the economy: Nitin Gadkari
Ethanol supply at 113.17 crore litres
On the ethanol front, against the total LOI (letter of intent) quantity of 416.33 crore litres, 113.17 crore litres of ethanol have been supplied till March 13, 2022. Out of the total supply so far, about 86 per cent comprises ethanol made from sugarcane juice / B heavy molasses. Mills have contracted to supply 391.85 crore litres so far compared to LOIs of about 416 crore litres issued by OMCs (oil marketing companies). The country on an average has achieved a blending percentage of 9.45 per cent till mid-March since December 2021, the statement said.
Exports to help closing stocks of sugar
As per reports, around 64-65 lakh tons of sugar export have been contracted so far. Out of which, about 47 lakh tons of sugar have been physically exported from India up to end of February 2022 in the current sugar year, as compared to about 17.75 lakh tons exported last year during the corresponding period, the ISMA said.
Estimating the export at a record 75 lakh tons of sugar in 2021-22 marketing year, the association said the physical exports by the end of this month maybe around 5556 lakh tons. Further, considering estimated domestic consumption of 272 lakh tons and production of 333 lakh tons, the export of 75 lakh tons will help reduce the closing stocks of sugar at 68 lakh tons by September 30, 2022, it added. This will be 77 lakh tons lower to the stocks of 145 lakh tons Indian sugar industry had 3 years back on 30th September 2019, the statement said.
