Season 2024-25: 20 sugar mills end sugarcane crushing operations in Maharashtra
Maharashtra’s sugar season 2024-25 has passed the midway mark, with 20 mills ending operations by February 11, up from 8 last year. Sugar production stands at 652.03 lakh quintals, down from 772.96 lakh quintals last season. The decline is due to lower yields, ethanol diversion, and delayed crushing. The state’s sugar recovery rate dropped to 9.19% from 9.78%.
The sugar season 2024-25 in Maharashtra has crossed the midway point, and till now (as of February 11), 20 mills have ended their operations, which is 12 more than the previous season during the same period, according to the Sugar Commissionerate report. These include mainly mills from the Solapur region (17 mills) and the Nanded region (3 mills).
Sugar production in Maharashtra for the ongoing 2024-25 season has reached 652.03 lakh quintals (approximately 65.20 lakh tonnes), a decline from the 772.96 lakh quintals produced during the same period last season. Currently, 180 mills are engaged in sugarcane crushing operations, while 20 mills have concluded the crushing season. As of February 11, statewide mills have crushed 709.23 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, compared to 790.69 lakh tonnes crushed during the same period last season. The state’s overall sugar recovery rate stands at 9.19%, lower than the 9.78% rate achieved during the same period last season.
According to industry experts, mills have ended operations earlier this season due to low yield and the enhancement of crushing capacity.
Sugar production in the state is down compared to the previous season due to delays in the commencement of the crushing season, diversion of sugar toward ethanol production, and a reduction in yield.
In Solapur, 45 mills were operational, including 17 cooperative mills and 28 private mills. Among them, 17 sugar mills have ended their crushing season. The mills in Solapur have processed 120.95 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, producing 96.38 lakh quintals of sugar, with a recovery rate of 7.97%.
In Nanded, 29 mills, comprising 9 cooperative and 20 private mills, have crushed 80.44 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, producing 75.65 lakh quintals of sugar, with a recovery rate of 9.4%. Three sugar mills have ended their operations in the ongoing season.
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Source : Chinimandi
