Indian sugar crushing slow, says sugar body

Indian sugar crushing operations for the current 2016-17 sugar season (SS) have been started and as on October 31, 2016, sugar mills have produced 104,000 tonnes of sugar, as against 187,000 tonnes produced last year up to the corresponding period.

As on October 31, 2016 about 15 sugar mills in the first fortnight of October and another 13 in the second fortnight of October, 2016, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said in a statement.

In all, 28 mills have started crushing as on October 31, 2016, as against 65 in 2015-16 SS same time. 

In Karnataka, 19 sugar mills have started their crushing operations in October’16 as against 12 operated last year on the corresponding date.  

As on October, 2016 sugar production in the state was 69,000 tonnes, which is 12,000 tonnes lower than the sugar produced during the same period last season.

In case of Tamil Nadu, 4 sugar mills were in operation and sugar production was 20,000 tonnes, as compared to 31,000 tonnes produced by 8 mills in 2015-16 SS up to October 31, 2015.

Three mills in Uttar Pradesh have also started crushing from second fortnight of October’16 and these mills estimated to have produced 12,000 tons up to October 31, 2016.  During 2015-16 SS, only one mill in U.P. was in operation in October’15 and its production was negligible, ISMA adds.

Apart from the above, one sugar mill each in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh has started their operations and these two mills’ estimated sugar productions are at 3,000 tonnes.

During 2015-16 SS, 14 sugar mills in Gujarat and 30 mills in Maharashtra operated in the month of October, 2015. 

However, during 2016-17 SS, Maharashtra mills delayed their starting so as to get the cane matured further to get better sugar recovery from standing cane. 

These mills are now expected to start crushing from November 5, 2016.  Similarly, Gujarat mills are expected to start this week.

With the carry over stock of 7.7 million tonnes as on October 1, 2016 and estimated sugar production of 23.4 million tonnes, total sugar available in the country during 2016-17 SS would be around 31.1 million tonnes, against the estimated consumption of 25.5 million tonnes. Thus, closing stock at the end of the season is expected at 5.6 million tonnes, which would be sufficient to meet 2 ½ months consumption in the initial period of 2017-18 SS.