PUNE: Drought-like conditions delayed sugarcane planting in Maharashtra and other parts of peninsular India that will substantially reduce 2019-20 sugar production of India and help ease pressure on global sugar prices as India begins export of surplus in a couple of years.
World sugar prices are under pressure as India will begin export of its surplus sugar production. Raw sugar futures have fallen below 10 cents per pound. However, there could some relief coming next year as India's 2019-20 sugar production could be lower than the record output of 35 million tonnes expected in 2018-19.
Maharashtra's area under sugarcane increased 25% over previous year, reaching 11.42 lakh hectares. "Due to less rainfall, farmers will prefer to keep the ratoon crop. Thus, the share of ratoon crop will be much higher than that of the new plantation next year," said Hapse. As output of the ratoon crop is lesser than the newly planted crop, it will pull down the overall sugarcane production.
Incidence of white grub has affected an estimated 20,000 hectares and agronomists have advised farmers to not retain ratoon of such crop.