The sugarcane crushing operations in Maharashtra are almost coming to an end, with only three mills still operating out of the 200 that participated in the 2024-25 season. Two mills in Pune and one mill in the Nagpur region are still engaged in operations, which are likely to conclude soon.
According to a report from the Sugar Commissionerate, by April 7, 197 sugar mills in the state had concluded their operations. This includes 45 mills in Solapur, 40 mills in Kolhapur, 29 mills in Pune, 29 mills in Nanded, 26 mills in Ahilyanagar, 22 mills in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, 4 mills in Amravati, and 2 mills in Nagpur. In comparison, 187 mills had shut down by the same time last season.
Sugar production for the 2024-25 season in Maharashtra has reached 806.45 lakh quintals (about 80.64 lakh tonnes), a decrease from the 1095.81 lakh quintals produced during the same period last year. As of April 7, mills in the state have crushed 851.3 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, compared to 1069.61 lakh tonnes last season. The state’s overall sugar recovery rate is 9.47%, lower than the 10.24% 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.
