Sugar production has slowed on decline in sugarcane availability in States such as Maharashtra and Karnataka, resulting in early closure of factories for the 2012-13 season.
Production of the sweetener stood at 18.76 million tonnes till end February this year against 18.82 mt in the corresponding period last year.
About 50 sugar mills have closed their operations for 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.
Maharashtra has produced 6.53 mt (6.50 mt) up to February.
Recovery of sugar from per tonne of sugarcane stood at 11.15 per cent (11.33 per cent). In Karnataka, the sugar output, so far, stood at 3.02 mt, about 3 per cent more than last year.
“The early end to crushing in Maharashtra and Karnataka is on expected lines as the sugarcane on the fields is getting over,” said Abinash Verma, Director General of the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA).
The trade body has projected a sugar output of 24.3 mt against 26 mt last year.
Sugar cane crushing in Maharashtra and Karnataka may get over by end March, against end-April last year. The erratic monsoon had hit the cane 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 5 per cent lower than last year as the recent cold wave and unseasonal rains had hampered the cane arrivals at the factories, ISMA said.
Andhra Pradesh has produced 8.3 lakh tonnes, about 3 per cent lower than last year, while the output in Tamil Nadu stood at 9.3 lakh tonnes. A weaker North East monsoon in Tamil Nadu has resulted in lower recovery of 8.8 per cent.