The 3rd Advance Estimates of production of major crops for 2018-19 have been released by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare on 03rd June, 2019. According to Estimates, with an increase of 20.46 million tonnes over 2017-18, total sugarcane production in India during 2018-19 is estimated at a record of 400.37 million tonnes. Moreover, the production of sugarcane during 2018-19 is higher by 50.59 million tonnes than the average sugarcane production of 349.78 million tonnes.
The assessment of the production of sugarcane is based on the feedback received from States and validated with information available from other sources.
It is expected that sugarcane production during 2019-2020 may decline due to various factors. The deficient rainfall in 2018 resulted in a severe drought in Maharashtra, one of the major sugarcane producing states. It has led to a scarcity of fodder and water for animals. Therefore, farmers have started uprooting sugarcane in the severely drought-affected regions of Maharashtra to feed their animals. This is expected to hit sugarcane growth. According to reports, sugarcane has also been damaged due to heat waves. Also to boost the income, farmers switched to other crops like soyabeen, pulses, and others. All these factors are set to bring down overall cane sowing area by 10-15 per cent in the state for next sugar season, which is going to hamper overall sugarcane production in the country.
The industry body, ISMA, had estimated that the sugar production in the current year for the country is anticipated to be around 33 MMT, about 5,00,000 tonnes more than last year.
