Sugar Production till Dec 15 Trails by 17%
India's sugar production fell 17% till December 15 due to delayed factory starts in key states like Maharashtra and Karnataka. Notably, this year sugar factories in Karnataka started late by around 7 to 12 days while in another major state Maharashtra, mills started late by 15to 20 days, as compared to last year. As per the data, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh increased to 23.04 lakh tonnes from 22.11 lakh tonnes. In Maharashtra, the output declined 16.78 lakh tonnes from 24.45 lakh tonnes. On the performance front, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh showed resilience, increasing slightly to 23.04 lt from last year’s 22.11 lt. However, Maharashtra and Karnataka faced sharp declines. Apart from production woes, sugar diversion towards ethanol is expected to rise significantly this year to 40 lt, compared to 21.5 lt last year. Sugar output is under pressure with a sharp 17% drop; government decisions on exports and price adjustments remain crucial for industry stability.
