After a delayed start following the controversy over cane pricing issue, sugarcane crushing for the 2013-14 season has picked up. More mills have begun operations in the key producing states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.

Downtrend

However, sugar production is down 50 per cent at 24.24 lakh tonnes as on December 15 against the corresponding period a year ago.

Some 426 sugar mills have started crushing cane against 457 mills last year, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA). Maharashtra has crushed 128 lakh tonnes to produce 12 lakh tonnes of sugar, down 35 per cent compared with last year.

About 150 mills have started operations against 155 mills last year, of which 56 are in the private sector.

In 2012-13 season that ended in September, about 170 mills crushed 70 million tonnes of cane to produce 80 lakh tonne sugar.

Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, the second largest sugar producing State, about 110 mills have started crushing against 116 mills this time last year.

Sugar production is estimated at 2.3 lakh tonnes, down 78 per cent over the corresponding period a year ago. Total sugarcane arrears for the 2012-13 season stood at about Rs 2,246 crore.

ISMA said 55 mills had started crushing in Karnataka against 56 in the corresponding period a year ago, producing 4.75 lakh tonnes of sugar, which is 57 per cent lower than last year.

Andhra Pradesh, TN

In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, about 30 and 15 mills have started operations and have produced a total of 1.55 lakh tonnes of sugar.

Imports, exports

Imports during the current sugar season are estimated at 0.27 lakh tonnes, while exports are estimated at 2.27 lakh tonnes.

ISMA has estimated marginally lower sugar production at 250 lakh tonnes for the 2013-14 season, against 251.40 lakh tonnes last year.