As on 31st December 2018, 501 sugar mills were in operation in India and they have produced 110.52 lac tons of sugar, as compared to 103.56 lac tons produced by 505 sugar mills as on 31st December 2017. A little higher production of 6.96 lac tons is because Maharashtra and Karnataka sugar mills started their crushing earlier in 2018. However, due to substantially lower rainfall and white grub infestation, Maharashtra will produce considerably lower quantity this year as compared to last. Overall, India is likely to produce much less sugar this season as compared to previous year.
In Uttar Pradesh, 117 sugar mills are in operation and they have crushed about 286 lac tons of sugarcane and produced 31 lac tons as on 31stDecember, 2018, with an average recovery of 10.84%. In 2017-18 SS, 116 sugar mills were in operation on 31st December, 2017 and they had crushed around 328 lac tons of cane to produce 33.3 lac tons of sugar with an average recovery of 10.14%. However, the yield per hectare is lower than last season and hence the sugar production in U.P. is estimated to be lower than last season for the whole year.
In Maharashtra, 184 sugar mills, which are in operation, have produced 43.98 lac tons till 31st December, 2018, as against 183 sugar mills which produced 38.39 lac tons last year. From the beginning of the season and till 31st December, 2018, average sugar recovery% in the State stands at 10.50% as against 10.23% achieved for the corresponding period of 2017-18 SS. Due to lower availability of cane in Maharashtra and early start, the mills therein would be closing much earlier than last year.
63 sugar mills in Karnataka are in operation on 31st December, 2018, who have produced 20.45 lac tons of sugar, as compared to 16.83 lac tons produced by 63 sugar mills in 2017-18 SS on 31st December, 2017.
In Gujarat, 16 sugar mills are operating for 2018-19 SS and they have produced 4.3 lac tons of sugar till 31st December, 2018. In 2017-18 SS, 17 sugar mills were in operation on 31st December, 2017, who had produced 3.77 lac tons of sugar till that date.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 23 sugar mills have produced 2.15 lac tons of sugar till 31st December, 2018. While, 25 sugar mills were in operation on 31st December’2017 who had produced 2.10 lac tons of sugar on the corresponding date.
In Tamil Nadu, 27 sugar mills are in operation as compared to similar number of mills in operation on 31st December last year. Sugar mills in Tamil Nadu have produced 1.40 lac tons of sugar till 31st December 2018 as against 0.96 lac tons produced last year on the corresponding date.
Mills of Bihar have produced 2.30 lac tons, Haryana 1.60 lac tons, Punjab 1.20 lac tons, Uttarakhand 0.87 lac tons and Madhya Pradesh 1.20 lac tons, till 31st December 2018.
Based on satellite images of the remaining harvestable sugarcane area, trend of recovery, yield and drawal percentage of sugarcane achieved so far, ISMA will review the estimate of sugar production for the season 2018-19 SS in the third week of January 2019, and if required revise its estimates.
