For the current 2021-22 season, Maharashtra may produce 120 lakh tonnes of sugar against the initial estimate of 112 lakh tonnes. NCP MLA and CEO of Baramati Agro Pvt Ltd Rohit Pawar said mills across the state have reported an increase in yield per hectare, which will increase the state’s production figures.
Both Industry and Sugar Commissioner’s Office estimates that sugarcane availability in the state is 1,096 lakh tonnes and sugar production at 112 lakh tonnes. Around 1.5 million tonnes of sugar is expected to be used for the production of ethanol as the state is expected to produce 120 crore liters of the fuel additive.
Pawar, who is the vice-president of the West Indian Sugar Mills Association (WISMA) – the apex body of private millers in the state – said after talking to all the millers that another bumper season is expected. “We think the production figures will be around 1.2 million tonnes – this will be the highest sugar produced in recent years,” he said. He said that a good increase has been observed in the production of sugarcane per hectare, which will increase the production.
At the start of the season, Maharashtra had 4.7 million tonnes of unsold stock, which was more than 50 per cent of the 9 million tonnes that the country had at the start of the 2021-22 season. Therefore, the increased production will add to the woes of the industry, which has unsold stocks. Pawar said exports have been good with the country contracting 45-50 lakh tonnes.
Due to good demand, India’s sugar exports could touch the level of 7 million tonnes, but Pawar felt that the central government would put a hold on 6 million tonnes. Inflationary conditions can be seen in exports of over 6 million tonnes to the retail consumer markets.
Meanwhile, BB Thombare, CMD of Latur-based Natural Sugar and Allied Industries, said that the production of ethanol at the national level would be around 450 crore liters. Thombare, whose company operates mills in Osmanabad and Yavatmal, said there would be a diversion of 3.5 million tonnes of sugar to produce 450 crore liters of ethanol in the country.
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