Sugar production in 2015-16 season so far in the country has been more than the corresponding period in the 2014-15 season. The higher sugar production is mainly because larger number of sugar mills started their crushing operation earlier this year as compared to the last season. 

According to Indian Sugar Mills Association, total production till November 30, 2015, in India was 23.60 lakh tonne, which is 4.62 lakh tonne more than the 18.98 lakh tonne produced in the last season in the same period. Further, this year 351 sugar mills in the country had started crushing cane till November 30 as compared to 343 mills in 2014. 

Most of the sugar mills in Maharashtra have started their crushing operation. As many as 158 mills were crushing sugarcane as on November, 30, 2015, as compared to 155 last year. They have produced 12.87 lakh tonne of sugar upto November, 30, 2015, as compared to 11.95 lakh tonne in the corresponding period last year. In Uttar Pradesh, 66 sugar mills have started working and had produced 1.80 lakh tonne sugar till November, 30, 2015, in comparison to 1 lakh tonne produced by 65 mills in the same period last year. 

Similarly, in Karnataka 60 sugar mills had produced 5.68 lakh tonne till November 30 this year as compared 3.2 lakh tonne by 51 mills last year. In Gujarat, all 18 sugar mills have started crushing and have produced 2.25 lakh tonne sugar in comparison to 1.69 lakh tonne by 17 mills last year. 

Crushing operation in other cane producing states have also begun and is gradually picking up pace. The production in these states so far has been 1 lakh tonne in this season in comparison to 1.14 lakh tonne last year. 

With the 'new sugar' now available in the market, contracts for exports are getting finalized faster than last month. As per market reports contracts to export around 4 lakh tonne have been finalized.