Five member team from Directorate of Sugar, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, New Delhi visited National Sugar Institute, Kanpur. The team comprising technical and statistical officers gathered first-hand information about type of sugars being produced in the country and mechanism of quality control. They visited Bureau of Sugar Standards in Sugar Technology division to see sugar standard grades being produced which are required to be procured by each sugar factory and on the basis of which they have to mark the sugar on packs.
The team also expressed its interest to seek knowledge about sugar consumption patterns and sugar quality requirements in the country. Dr. Jahar Singh, Professor Sugar Technology informed that about 60% of the total sugar is consumed by bulk consumers for industrial usage and only 40% is utilized for direct consumption by common consumers. We are required to produce sugar as per requirement of various sectors and hence market for pharmaceutical, liquid, icing and brown sugar is growing. Thus, we have developed facilities for providing hands on training to the students of various courses. The team visited Experimental Sugar Factory and Specialty Sugar Division to see the plant and process of production.
The team also discussed the issues related to availability of raw material for blending ethanol to the extent of 20% in petrol by 2025. Dr. (Mrs.) R. Ananthalakshmi, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry informed that at out of the total requirement of ethanol, 55% can be met from feed stocks from sugar industry, hence for rest 45% grain based ethanol is to be produced. Ethanol blending shall open new opportunities including generation of employment and hence to provide competent manpower institute has set up such mini processing units which were visited by the team.
The visit is aimed at better interaction between institute and ministry and to provide vital inputs to the ministry officials for wider exposure regarding sugar and ethanol scenario in the country, said Shri Narendra Mohan, Director, National Sugar Institute.
