Sugar output for 2013-14 will be 5.5 per cent more than initial estimates at 25 million tonnes on higher cane acreage and yield, aided by good monsoon, said Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), the apex industry body, on Monday.
This means that sugar output will be higher than domestic consumption for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
India is the second largest sugar producer after Brazil, but is the largest consumer.
Domestic consumption is pegged between 22 and 23 million tonnes (mt).
In its initial estimates in August, it had forecast an output of 23.7 mt for the next year starting October.
For the current year (2012-13) ending September, sugar output is expected to cross 25 mt.
“According to satellite images, availability of total sugarcane acreage for crushing in India in sugar season 2013-14, will be around 52.89 lakh hectares, which is almost 9 per cent higher than the initial estimates of Ministry of Agriculture of 48.53 lakh hectares,” ISMA, which represents about 55 per cent of the 580-odd mills in the country, said in a statement.
break-up
ISMA expects Maharashtra to produce 7.8 mt, almost similar to that of last year’s 8 mt.
“Maharashtra’s sugarcane acreage is reported to be around 9.4 lakh hectares, almost similar to 2012-13. No substantial yield enhancement is expected over last year,” ISMA said.
In Uttar Pradesh, though cane acreage is higher by 3.6 per cent, the association is expecting slightly lower yields than last year on account of lower availability of millable cane per hectare due to excess rains.
As a result, ISMA expects a sugar output of 7.7 mt in the ensuing season.
In Karnataka, the sugar production is expected to be at last year’s level of 3.4 mt, while the output in Tamil Nadu is projected to be lower by 15 per cent at 1.64 mt.
The National Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Ltd has pegged the country’s sugar output at 24.5 mt this year.