Sugar production in India has risen by over 14% to 22.18 million tonnes (MT) till March 15 of the current marketing year, industry body Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said. During the same period last year, sugar production was recorded at 19.38 MTs, ISMA added.
India’s sugar production would touch an eight-year high of 26.5 MT in the current marketing year (October-September), according to the latest estimate of the food ministry. The ministry has revised up its estimate of sugar production for 2014-15 from 25-25.5 MT to 26.5 MT on higher-than-expected production in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, report added.
Mills across states produced 22.18 MT of sugar up to March 15, compared with 19.38 MT a year before, the data showed. Maharashtra produced 8.41 MT between October 1 and March 15, against 6.41 MT a year earlier, while Uttar Pradesh produced 5.63 MT, compared with 5.07 MT in the corresponding period last season. Karnataka witnessed a rise in production to 3.8 MT up to March 15, against 3.45 MT a year earlier. Mills in the other states have produced a total of 4.35 MT until March 15 this season, compared with 4.45 MT a year before.