Sharp drop in sugar production, co-op body cites infestation, premature flowering
The National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories has revised India’s sugar production estimate for the 2024-25 season to 259 lakh tonnes (lt), significantly lower than the India Sugar Mills Association’s (ISMA) initial estimate of 272.2 lt. Production has been impacted by pests like ‘Red Rot’ and ‘Top Shoot Borer,’ and delayed crushing in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Despite this setback, the 2025-26 season is expected to see better cane availability.
The National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Sunday issued its latest sugar production figure pegging the final figure at a modest 259 lakh tonnes (lt) for the sugarcane crushing season of 2024-25.
This is a significant drop and deviation from the figures issued by India Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) another industry body whose first estimate for the season was of 272.2 lt.
The sharp drop in sugar production in the three major producer states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh has seen the production figures take a downward hit this crushing season.
The sugar season of 2024-25, the federation said, has been plagued by frequent revision of production figures by various agencies.
ISMA, the body which represents the private sugar millers mostly from North India, had in July estimated production of 272.2lt of sugar post diversion of 20.30 lt for production of ethanol. However that now looks unattainable as the production figures from the main three states have taken a serious hit.
In its press statement issued on Sunday, the federation stated that heavy infestation of ‘Red Rot’ and “Top Shoot Borer “on the sugarcane variety of Co-0238 , which covers the majority of the sugarcane area in Uttar Pradesh, and the premature and massive flowering of the standing cane in Maharashtra and Karnataka resulted in stunted growth and had adverse effects on sugar yield.
“Due to the elections in Maharashtra, the new crushing season started after November 15, 2024 and the Karnataka government also issued an order for commencing crushing after November 15. If the sugarcane crushing in these two states had started on October 15, a more dire situation would have emerged,” the statement read.
Given the fluctuation in production figures, initially the central government had agreed for a 0 lt export quota. Most mills in Uttar Pradesh have sold their quota to the ones in Maharashtra who would undertake the physical exports.
Harshavardhan Patil, the president of the federation, stated that barring some mills in Uttar Pradesh crushing operations would be completed in all other states by March end.
“Mills in Uttar Pradesh would end their season by mid April,” he said .
For mills in Maharashtra the short 83 days crushing season, Patil said, would have economic effects as for a mill to be financially viable minimum of 150-160 days of crushing operation is necessary.
The only silver lining in the picture is that the upcoming crushing season of 2025-26 is expected to be a good one with ample cane availability.
To read more about Sugar Industry continue reading Agriinsite.com
Source : The Indian Express
