The country’s sugar output has reached 24.5 million tonnes in the ongoing 2010-11 marketing year so far and may improve slightly because of better production in key cane-growing regions.
“Mills have reported sugar production of 24.5 million tonnes as on July 13. The output is expected to rise slightly from this level,” Thomas told reporters in N Delhi on Thursday.
The country’s sugar production in the 2010-11 marketing year (October-September) was earlier estimated at 24.2 million tonnes.
Sugar production in India, the world’s second biggest producer, but the largest consumer, is expected to exceed the demand of 21-21.5 million tonnes after a gap of two years.
Last year, production stood at around 19 million tonnes.
The maximum quantity of sugar is produced in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Thomas said the country will end the current marketing year with a closing stock of 6.1 million tonnes of sugar, which is sufficient to meet the demand during the lean period
next year.
On exports, the minister said that the government has allowed a total of 2.1 million tonnes of sugar shipments this year and may take a view on additional exports at the end of September.