India exported 2.29 lakh tonnes (lt) of sugar in the past two months, taking total shipments to 5.38 lt since the government allowed 10 lt exports on January 20 for the current season ending September 30.
However, as 23,219 tonnes were on transit or waiting for loading at ports, the total quantity can be pegged at over 5.61 lt.
In the ongoing 2024-25 sugar season until May 31, the position on physical sugar dispatches from sugar mills for export was 5.17 lt as per the provisional data sourced from Dr. Amin Controllers, the All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) said in a statement on Tuesday. The quantity included 4.10 lt of white sugar, 25,382 tonnes of raw sugar and 81,845 tonnes of refined variety.
Further, over 21,000 tonnes of raw sugar was also delivered to refineries in SEZ, which is deemed as export, AISTA said. Maximum quantity of 1,18,553 tonnes have been sent to Somalia, followed by 76,401 tonnes to Sri Lanka, 72,833 tonnes to Afghanistan, 69,609 tonnes to Djibouti, 37,842 tonnes to the UAE, 30,729 tonnes to Libya and 26,919 tonnes to Tanzania.
AISTA had earlier projected sugar exports in 2024-25 season to touch 8 lt out of 10 lt permitted by the government.
Production dip
According to the trade body, sugar production this season may be 26.52 million tonnes (mt) with an error margin of 2 per cent (plus/minus), down by 16.9 per cent from 31.9 mt estimated for the previous season, reducing the closing stock to 4.5 mt as on September 30, 2025.
“The main reasons for decline in sugar production in Uttar Pradesh in the current season are the spread of red rot disease in western region and floods in the eastern region, with cane having lower polarisation leading to low sugar recoveries,” AISTA Chairman Praful Vithalani said.
In Maharashtra, farmers have realised lower yield in sugarcane due to erratic rains and flowering problems in the crop, he added.
Factories in Maharashtra and elsewhere closed earlier than normal with reduced number of days when mills undertook the crushing operation.