Sugar production is seen satisfory for the next three years as output is expected to be above the domestic demand, said Food Minister K.V.Thomas on Friday.
"The next three years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 will be comfortable for sugar," Thomas said based on the recent review of the performance of the sector with industry officials. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event organised by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
"The domestic requirement is about 22 lakh tonnes and we have enough sugar for exports," Thomas said adding that the shipments would depend on the prices in the international markets. Currently, it is unviable for the Indian millers to export sugar as the international prices are currently lower than the domestic prices.
"However, going ahead, our sugar production and productivty and value addition needs to be improved," Thomas said. In this context, a draft paper has been prepared by the Food Ministry on the improvements needed in the sugar sector. In the third week of May at the National Institute in Kanpur, we will chalk out the various projects to be taken up for the improvement of sugar sector, Thomas added.
India's sugar production declined to 24.6 million tonnes, down from the 26 million tonnes produced in the previous year. However, in 2013-14, the production may decline marginally due to the drought in key sugarcane growing areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka.