India is the largest producer of sugar after Brazil. Till the end of last month, India exported about 8.5 lakh tonne of sugar of which 4.5 lakh tonne is raw and rest is refined sugar. The total sugar dispatch count this season, starting from 1st October, 2013, is about 79 lakh tonne.
During the present season, till February 15, 2014, the country has produced 143.7 lakh tonne of sugar. However, during the same time last year the production was 165.88 lakh tonne. According to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), in the present season the country is expected to produce more 10 lakh tonne of raw sugar.
Reason for the reduction
- Excessive rain in India’s biggest cane growing region, Uttar Pradesh, hit the cane yields. According to reliable sources, the production could drop to 6.5 million tons from 7.5 million tons, the previous season.
- This year crushing of cane was delayed because of a shutdown of several mills.
- Moreover, drought in Maharashtra also affected the yields.
- On 15th of February, around 485 sugar mills were operational across the country, against 500 mills last year during the same period.
- This year, Uttar Pradesh produced only 35.7 lakh tonne, against 43.61 lakh tonne of sugar produced last year. The state’s yield has been 18% less as only 119 mills are crushing sugarcane, as against 121 mills last year.
Though the gap in production, as compared to the same corresponding period last year, is narrowing down, the sugar output in our country may tumble to the lowest in four years.
picture courtesy- nutrition.com
