Sugar production has begun to decline due to lower cane availability in Maharashtra and Karnataka, resulting in early closure of factories for the 2012-13 season.

Production of the sugar stood at 18.76 million tonnes till February-end this year against 18.82 mt in the corresponding last year.

So far, about 50 sugar mills have closed their operations in the current season, against 21 in the corresponding period last year.

Of this, 28 mills have ended their crushing in Maharashtra and another 22 in Karnataka.

Output

Maharashtra produced 6.53 mt up to end February this year, against 6.50 mt last year.

Recovery of sugar from cane for a tonne stood at 11.15 per cent against 11.33 per cent last year.

In Karnataka, sugar output, so far, stood at 3.02 mt, about three per cent more than last year.

“The early end to crushing in Maharashtra and Karnataka is on expected lines, as sugarcane on the fields is getting over,” said Abinash Verma, Director General of the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA).

The trade body has projected sugar output of 24.3 mt against 26 mt last year.

Cane crushing

Cane crushing in Maharashtra and Karnataka may get over by March-end, against end-April last year.

Erratic monsoons had hit the crop in these two States badly this year.

However, in Uttar Pradesh, sugar production stood at 5.03 mt at a recovery of 8.95 per cent as of end-February.

The output is about five per cent lower than last year, as the recent cold wave and unseasonal rains had hampered cane arrivals at the factories, ISMA said.

Andhra Pradesh produced 8.3 lakh tonnes, about three per cent lower than last year, while output in Tamil Nadu stood at 9.3 lakh tonnes.

A deficient North-East monsoon in Tamil Nadu has resulted in lower recovery of 8.8 per cent.

> Vishwanath.kulkarni@thehindu.co.in

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