Sugar production in the current sugar season till January 15 is 38.55 lakh tonnes lower compared with the same period last season, according to the Indian Sugar Mills’ Association (ISMA).

The association said in a statement that the 440 sugar mills in operation as of January 15 in India have produced 108.85 lakh tonnes of sugar compared with 147.40 lakh tonnes (produced by 511 mills) during the same period in 2018-2019 season.

While mills in Uttar Pradesh are expected to produce almost the same quantity in 2019-2020 (October to September), production in Maharashtra and Karnataka had declined this year.

As many as 119 mills in Uttar

Pradesh produced 43.78 lakh tonnes between October 2019 and January 15 this year against 117 mills producing 41.93 lakh tonnes for the same period last season.

Mills in Tamil Nadu continue to face low capacity utilisation this sugar season too. Only 17 mills are in operation producing 1.5 lakh tonnes till January 15. Last sugar season, 28 mills produced 2.29 lakh tonnes till January 15, 2019.

ISMA said the total finalised quantity of ethanol to be supplied, after the first tender, stood at 156 crore litres. Of the total finalised quantity, 72.23 crore litres will be supplied from B heavy molasses and sugarcane juice. It is learnt oil marketing firms will float the second round of tenders soon.