Sugar production in India has marked a rise of 6% at 273.47 lakh tone till March 15 of the current marketing year ending September 2019. This is mainly due to the greater contribution from the Maharashtra and Karnataka where mills started their operations early. In the year ago period, the country had produced 258.20 lakh tone of sugar.
During 2018-19 sugar season, about 527 sugar mills were in operation. As many as 154 mills have stopped crushing and 373 sugar mills are continuing their crushing operations. Mills in Maharashtra and Karnataka are closing fast and their crushing season is on the verge of closing.
In Maharashtra, sugar output till March 15, 2019 was 100.08 lakh tons, comparing 93.84 lakh tons produced last year same period. Uttar Pradesh, produced 84.14 lakh tons of sugar till March 15, 2019, compared with 84.39 lakh tons a year ago same period. Sugar production in Karnataka stood at 42.45 lakh tons as against 35.10 lakh tons.