SANJEEB MUKHERJEE

New Delhi, 14 July

Sugar production in 2021-22 season that will start from October, is expected to be around 31 million tonnes, almost similar to the current year´s production of 30.9 mt.

This comes after accounting for an all time high diversion of 3.4 mt of sugar for producing ethanol, industry body Indian Sugar Mills Association ( ISMA) said on Wednesday.

It said that opening stock at the start of the 2021-22 sugar season is expected to be around 8.7 mt, the lowest in the last four years.

The stocks are projected at 8.7 mt after accounting for 26 mt of domestic consumption and record exports of 7 mt.

Though this opening stock is around 2 mt less than the current year´s opening stock, it is much higher than the ideal opening stock, which is equivalent to two months of consumption.

According to ISMA´s estimates, sugar production in UP is expected to be 11.9 mt in sugar season 2021-22, while in Maharashtra, production is expected to be 12.1 mt, Karnataka is expected to account for production of 4.87 mt, while other states may contribute 5.46 mt to the overall production in India.

Meanwhile, sugar consumption in the country has grown in the eight months of October 2020 May 2021 as compared to the same period last year.