Sugar production till end November was down 2.5 per cent at 23.3 lakh tonnes over the corresponding period last year.
The marginal dip in output in the first two months of the 2012-13 season is attributed to delayed start to cane crushing by sugar factories in Uttar Pradesh, where the State Government is yet to announce the cane price.
About 346 mills have started crushing operations this year so far against 354 in the corresponding period last year, the Indian Sugar Mills Association said in a statement.
In UP, about 90 mills have started operations against 96 last year. So far, mills in UP have produced 2.5 lakh tonnes of sugar against 5.22 lakh tonnes last year. However, the delayed crushing has enhanced sugar recovery by about 0.30 per cent over last year.
ISMA forecast
ISMA maintained its sugar production forecast for the 2012-13 season at 240 lakh tonnes against the Food Ministry’s projections of 230 lakh tonnes.
In Maharashtra, the mills have produced 9.5 lakh tonnes against 9.94 lakh tonnes last year. In Karnataka, sugar production was up 36 per cent at 7 lakh tonnes (5.13 lakh tonnes).