The sugarcane crushing season in Maharashtra is nearing its end, with only 14 mills still operating out of the 200 that participated in the 2024-25 season. Mills in the Kolhapur, Solapur, and Amravati regions have already completed their crushing operations.
As per a report from the Sugar Commissionerate, by March 25, 186 sugar mills in the state had concluded their operations. This includes 45 mills in Solapur, 40 mills in Kolhapur, 27 mills in Pune, 26 mills in Nanded, 21 mills in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, 24 mills in Ahilyanagar, and 3 mills in Amravati. In comparison, 149 mills had shut down by the same time last season.
Sugar production for the 2024-25 season in Maharashtra has reached 798.08 lakh quintals (about 79.80 lakh tonnes), a decrease from the 1073.37 lakh quintals produced during the same period last year. As of March 25, mills in the state have crushed 843.85 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, compared to 1050.81 lakh tonnes last season. The state’s overall sugar recovery rate is 9.46%, lower than the 10.21% recovery rate during the same period last year.
Industry experts say that the earlier end to the season can be attributed to lower yields and increased crushing capacity. The reduced sugar production this season is mainly due to delays in the start of crushing, the diversion of sugar for ethanol production, and a decline in yield.
