New Delhi: Sugar production is setting a record as 471 sugar mills across the country have produced over 75 lakh tonnes sugar by December 15 which is expected to reach 315 lakh tonnes by the end of the current crushing season.
While Maharashtra figured top with 184 sugar mills producing 31.90 lakh tonnes, the sugar production in the state by the end of the season, is expected to be 110 lakh tonnes which would be the highest as per the indications. Maharashtra is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 117 sugar mills producing more than 18.60 lakh tonnes of sugar which is expected to reach 107 lakh tonnes by the end of the season.
Karnataka stands third whose 69 sugar mills have produced 17.90 lakh tonnes of fresh sugar and are expected to produce 48 lakh tonnes by the end of the season, according to the National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories.
Of the total 820.73 lakh sugar cane crushed in 471 sugar factories across the country , Maharashtra figured top in the list where 341.18 lakh tonnes sugar cane got crushed till December 15. Karnataka stands second in it where 198.89 lakh tonnes sugar cane was crushed. And in Uttar Pradesh 197.87 lakh tonnes sugar cane was crushed.
Sugar cane crushing and sugar production in rest of the sugar producing states are : Gujarat (23.73 lakh tonnes suar cane crushed and produced 2.10 lakh tonnes sugar), Haryana ( 13.58 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 1.10 lakh tonnes sugar), Bihar ( 12.57 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 1.15 lakh tonnes sugar), Uttarakhand (9 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 0.90 lakh tonnes sugar), Punjab ( 6.86 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 0.60 lakh tonnes sugar), Madhya Pradesh ( 6.25 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 0.50 lakh tonnes sugar) ,Tamil Nadu ( 5.88 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 0.50 lakh tonnes sugar), Telangana (2.50 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 0.20 sugar) and Andhra Pradesh (1.25 lakh tonnes sugar cane crushed and produced 0.10 lakh tonnes sugar).
The area under sugarcane cultivation in the country is increasing due to good rainfall, scientifically grown sugarcane, improved varieties and guaranteed rates. So far (December 15),over 820 lakh tonnes of sugarcane has been crushed in 471 sugar mills across the country with an average sugar recovery of more than 9.22 per cent. Last year , as on December 15, 2020, 458 sugar mills in the country had crushed 819.57 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, producing 74 lakh tonnes of sugar and the average sugar recovery was 9.02 per cent. This means that this year’s record crushing season is a bit better than last year’s season in all respects.
This year, Uttarakhand (10 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (9.40 per cent), Maharashtra (9.35 per cent), Bihar (9.15 per cent) and Karnataka (9) are leading in the average sugar recovery, followed by Gujarat (8.85 per cent) and Punjab. (8.75 per cent), Tamil Nadu (8.50 per cent), Haryana (8.10 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana (8 per cent each).
Sugarcane cultivation and sugar production have also increased in the Covid pandemic , and the easing of restrictions imposed during the pandemic has benefited the sugar industry, which has seen an increase in sugar sales and sales prices. On the other hand, the ethanol production projects are in progress and a record 302.30 crore liters of ethanol has been supplied to the oil companies from 275 distillery projects across the country in the year 2020-21, which ended on November 30. Ethanol suppliers have earned over Rs 20,000 crore through ethanol supply in this year, which is a record for India.
“Sugar mills across the country have also achieved success in the sugar export this year. After exporting 59 lakh tonnes of sugar in 2019-20, a record 72 lakh tonnes of sugar was successfully exported in the year 2020-21. First quarter (three months) of this year has seen sugar factories have made export contracts worth of 35 lakh tonnes in which almost 40 per cent is the share of co-operative sector, “said the President of National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Shri Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar.
