NEW DELHI – Sugar production in Uttar Pradesh is likely to touch 12.40 mln tn in 2018-19 (Oct-Sep), a tad higher than 12.05 mln tn likely produced in 2017-18, a senior official with the state government said.
At 12.4 mln tn, production estimate is higher year-on-year but lower than the earlier estimate of 12.5 mln tn as cane plantings in the state fell 15% due to "late, heavy rains and hailstorm".
The Indian Sugar Mills Association had last month cut its estimate for sugar output in Uttar Pradesh, the largest sugar producing state in the country, for 2018-19 to 11.29 mln tn from 12.1 mln tn projected earlier.
Around 118 mills are crushing cane currently in the state and it is expected to continue until May-end. The official, however, said that three more mills are likely to start crushing operations in a month, taking the total to 121 mills.
The official said mills in the state may produce about 12.4 mln tn of the sweetener 2019-20 as well, however, downside risks remain due to diversion of cane juice to manufacture ethanol.