Despite entering the final leg of cane crushing in the country, the sugar production in the current season is still lagging by 7 percent compared to the last season on account of lower output in key producing states. The production stood at 21.5 million as compared to 23.1 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year, according to industry body Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA).
Except Karnataka, sugar output declined in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu till March of the 2013-14 marketing year (October-September), with about 330 mills crushing sugarcane against 231 mills in the year-ago period.
As per ISMA's latest data, sugar output in Maharashtra, the country's leading producer, remained down by 9 percent at 7.01 million tonnes till March as compared with 7.73 million tonnes in the year-ago period. Similarly, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh, the country's second biggest producer, was down by 13 percent at 5.8 million tonnes so far in 2013-14 from 6.7 million tonnes in the same period last year due to poor yields and higher diversion to alternate sweeteners manufacturing industry.
Additionally, Production in Tamil Nadu dropped 28 percent at 9, 50,000 tonnes, while the output in Andhra Pradesh fell to 9, 40,000 tonnes from 9, 66,000 tonnes in the year-ago period.
However, sugar production in Karnataka increased by 12 percent to 3.75 million tonnes till March as compared with 3.36 million tonnes in the same period last year on account of better yields and good recovery.