Sugar production marginally reduced to 25.53 tonnes so far this year: ISMA, ET Retail

NEW DELHI: Sugar production in the ongoing 2023-24 fiscal year has so far declined by 1.19 per cent to 25.53 million tonnes, industry body ISMA said on Monday.

Sugar production for the same period last year was 25.84 million tons until February. The sugar marketing year is from October to September.

In its second estimate, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has predicted that sugar production in the current fiscal year 2023-24 will decline by 10 per cent to 33.05 tonnes from 36.62 tonnes in the previous year.

According to ISMA, sugar production in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu remained low till February in the ongoing marketing year.

However, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s second largest producer of sweeteners, was higher at 7.81 tonnes compared to 7 tonnes during the survey period.

Production in Maharashtra, the country’s largest sugar producer, declined to 9.09 million tonnes till February this year, compared to 9.51 million tonnes in the same period last year.

Similarly, production in Karnataka, the country’s third largest producer, declined to 4.7 million tonnes from 5.12 million tonnes in the same period.

Sugar production so far this marketing year has reached 7,70,000 tonnes in Gujarat and 5,80,000 tonnes in Tamil Nadu.

Approximately 466 factories were operational by February this year, compared to 447 factories in the same period last year.

“This season, the pace of factory closures in Maharashtra and Karnataka has been slower than last year, indicating that the end of this year’s season may be longer in these states,” ISMA said.

A total of 49 factories have closed in both states so far this year, compared to 74 in the same period last year, the report said.

Overall, 65 factories across the country suspended crushing operations, compared to 86 factories in the same period last year.