ISMA releases data on sugar production in India till November 15

As compared to 127 sugar factories which were crushing sugarcane last year on that same day, 274 sugar mills were crushing sugarcane on November 15, 2020.

In Uttar Pradesh, 76 sugar mills have started their crushing operations for this season and they have produced 3.85 lakh tonnes of sugar by November 15, 2020.
 
Last year in the same period, 78 mills were in operation and they had produced 2.93 lakh tonnes till November 15, 2019.

Unlike last year, owing to very good rainfall and sufficient water availability in reservoirs in Maharashtra and Karnataka, as also better cane availability due to higher cane acreage and improved yield per hectare, crushing season commenced well in time during the last week of October, 2020.

In Maharashtra, 117 sugar mills have started crushing operations as on November 15, 2020, while last year season commenced very late – in the fourth week of November 2019 – due to drought and lesser cultivable area by almost 48 per cent as compared to current year.

Till November 15, 2020, sugar production in the state was 5.65 lakh tonnes.

Similarly in Karnataka, 49 sugar mills were in operation as on November 15, 2020 and have produced 3.40 lakh tonnes, as compared to 34 mills, which were operating and had produced 1.43 lakh tonnes last year upto the corresponding date.

In Gujarat, 14 sugar mills were crushing on November 15, 2020 and they have produced 80,000 tonnes of sugar.

Last year on November 15, 2019, four mills were in operation and they had produced 2000 tonnes of sugar.

Among the remaining states like Uttarakhand, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, about 18 factories have commenced their crushing operations and they have together produced 40,000 tonnes of sugar till November 15, 2020.

With an OB of sugar for 2020-21 of 106.4 lakh tonnes as on October 1,2020 and an estimated sugar production of 310 lakh tonnes, India will have another surplus year and need to continue to export about 60-70 lakh tonnes of the surplus sugar out of the country during 2020-21 SS.

Policy decisions regarding export policy along with export subsidy for the sugar year 2020-21 and creation of buffer stock along with buffer subsidy are still awaited from the Union government.

During the last season 2019-20, about two lakh tonnes of sugar had already been shipped out for exports on the corresponding date.

During the current season 2019-20 (December – November), the Ethanol supplied as on November 9, 2020 is reported to be at 160.23 cr. litre, which is equivalent to a blend of five per cent.

For the year 2020 – 21, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have allocated about 262.27 cr. Litre against offers received for about 322.57 cr litre of ethanol from sugar mills.

However, the total requirement as per tender floated by OMCs is about 457.64 cr. litre.

This could mean a blend of about 7-8 per cent, depending on the total fuel demand.