Maharashtra: 189 mills start crushing operations; sugar production reaches 344.26 lakh quintals
Maharashtra’s 2025–26 sugarcane season sees 189 mills operating, crushing 408.63 LMT of cane and producing 344.26 lakh quintals of sugar at an 8.42% recovery. Kolhapur leads with 35 mills, 90.44 LMT crushed, and 9.86% recovery. Pune and Solapur follow, with lower recovery rates and varying production.
Sugarcane crushing activities for Maharashtra’s 2025–26 season are gaining momentum, with operations steadily expanding across the state. According to the latest figures released by the Sugar Commissionerate, 189 sugar mills had commenced crushing operations as of December 17, 2025.
Cumulatively, these mills have crushed 408.63 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugarcane, resulting in the production of 344.26 lakh quintals of sugar. The average recovery rate across the state currently stands at 8.42%.
Of the mills in operation, 93 are from the cooperative sector, while 96 are privately owned. The Kolhapur division continues to lead the state in terms of sugar production and recovery efficiency.
In Kolhapur, 35 mills are currently operational. The division has crushed 90.44 LMT of sugarcane and recorded the highest recovery rate in the state at 9.86%, producing 89.16 lakh quintals of sugar.
The Pune division has 30 active mills, which have crushed 101.05 LMT of cane. With a recovery rate of 8.69%, the division has produced 87.84 lakh quintals of sugar.
Solapur, despite having the highest number of operational mills at 43, has crushed 87.87 LMT of cane so far and reported a comparatively lower recovery rate of 7.59%.
In comparison, during the same period last season, 194 mills had begun crushing operations, processing 232.29 LMT of sugarcane with an average recovery rate of 8.15%.
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Source : Chinimandi
