The logjam over cane crushing in major sugar producing states has reduced sugar production by 70% till November,the countrys apex mills association said on Friday.The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said that by Novemberend in the 2013-14 sugar season,production was 8 lakh tonnes against 24.4 lakh tonnes during this period last year.It said compared to 400 sugar mills crushing sugarcane during the first two months of the crushing season,this time only 208 sugar mills had started operations till now.
The ISMA claimed the UP and Karnataka governments have fixed unviable prices,deterring mills from starting crushing.According to ISMA,against 149 sugar mills which had started crushing in Maharashtra last year,only 102 sugar mills were operating till Friday.Sugar production in the state has fallen to 4.31 lakh tonnes as compared to 10.24 lakh tonnes last year.In UP,only 22 mills were operating against 90 last year.This does not mean that the country is staring at a sugar crisis as there is stock to last 5-6 months.