Despite the hovering El Nino and retreating rains, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, the leading states in sugarcane and sugar production across the country, have maintained their momentum, says the apex co-op body of sugar in the country, NFCSFL.
Till 15 December 2023, 24.85 lakh tonnes of sugar have been produced in Maharashtra, 22.65 lakh tonnes in Uttar Pradesh and 17.50 lakh tonnes in Karnataka respectively and till date, 74.30 lakh tonnes of sugar have been produced in the entire country. Last year, that is 2022-23, 81.80 lakh tonnes of sugar were produced. It is estimated that 291.50 lakh tonnes of sugar will be produced across the country by the end of this year’s sugar season, informs a press release.
Till December 15, 2023, 499 sugar mills in 12 states across the country were functioning and they had crushed 857.04 lakh tonnes of sugarcane. Last year till this date, 924.33 lakh tonnes of sugarcane were crushed. In sugarcane crushing, Maharashtra has taken the lead in the country by crushing 296 lakh tonnes of sugarcane followed by 243 lakh tonnes of sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh and 211 lakh tonnes of sugarcane crushing in Karnataka, the release revealed.
As per the release, however, till December 15, 2023, the average recovery of sugar in the country is 8.67 percent and Uttar Pradesh figures top in it. Its average sugar recovery is 9.30 percent. While Maharashtra’s average sugar recovery is 8.40 percent, Karnataka has an average sugar yield of 8.30 percent. Of course, as the cold increases, the sugar level is expected to increase, the release revealed further.
“The Union government’s sudden decision to ban ethanol production on December 7, 2023 created an atmosphere of worry and confusion in the sugar industry across the country. As encouraged by the central government, the distillery projects across the country have invested nearly Rs. 35,000 crores in the ethanol production capacity expansion plants, the release informed.
The release said because of the December 7 decision, they would have become sick due to their inability to pay instalments of loan interest, on time. There was a risk of such projects becoming financially ill and that too for no fault of theirs. Besides, this decision would also have adversely affected sugar factories and sugarcane farmers financially because the earnings from ethanol sales in 21-days would have derailed.
According to the release, immediately, national level sugar industry organisations took up the issue and drew attention of the concerned about the possible consequences. As a result, the central government has given some relief to the sugar industry by modifying its earlier decision through its 15th December order, said Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar, President of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories.