As per the latest data by the industry body ISMA, the nation’s sugar production declined by 2.48 per cent to 22.36 million tonnes up to February 15 of the current 2023-24 marketing year.
In the corresponding period last year, sugar production stood at 22.93 million tonnes. The sugar marketing year spans from October to September.
In its second estimate, the ISMA has projected sugar output to decline by 10% to 33.05 MT in the current 2023–24 marketing year, as opposed to 36.62 MT in the last year. ISMA reports that sugar production in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu remained lower until February 15 of the current marketing year.
However, sugar output in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s second-largest producer of the sweetener, increased to 6.77 MT compared to 6.12 MT in the period under review.
In Maharashtra, the nation’s largest sugar-producing state, production had declined to 7.94 million tonnes till February of this marketing year, compared with 8.59 million tonnes in the same period last year. Similarly, production in Karnataka — the country’s third-largest producer — had declined to 4.32 MT from 4.6 MT in the said period.
So far this marketing year, sugar output reached 6,85,000 tonnes in Gujarat and 4,50,000 tonnes in Tamil Nadu.
Around 505 factories were operating up to February 15 of the current marketing year as against 502 in the year-ago period. About 22 factories had closed their operations in Maharashtra and Karnataka, ISMA said.”