In Maharashtra, there is a decline in sugar production compared to the previous season. By January 29, 2024, the state has witnessed a reduction of 94.17 lakh quintals (9.41 lakh tonnes) in sugar production compared to the last season.
According to the data from the Sugar Commissionerate, in the 2023-24 season until January 29, 2024, a total of 207 sugar mills have commenced crushing operations in Maharashtra. This includes 103 cooperative and 104 private sugar mills, with a total sugarcane crushing of 661.24 lakh tonnes. The state has produced 632.3 lakh quintals (63.23 lakh tonnes) of sugar so far, with the current average sugar recovery rate being 9.56 percent.
In the same period of the previous season, 206 sugar mills were operational, and they crushed 748.38 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, producing 726.47 lakh quintals of sugar.
Solapur region in Maharashtra has witnessed the commencement of crushing operations by 50 sugar mills, the highest in the state. As per the Sugar Commissionerate data, by January 29, 2024, the Solapur division has crushed 144.17 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, producing 126.63 lakh quintals of sugar, with a sugar recovery rate of 8.78 per cent.
On the contrary, the lowest number of sugar mills commencing operations is observed in the Amravati and Nagpur divisions. In each of these divisions, four sugar mills have started crushing operations.
