The pan-India diversion towards production of ethanol, which was over 22 per cent up at 3.11 mt until March 15, has narrowed down to about 8 per cent.

Sugar production in the country dipped 5.4 per cent to 31.1 million tonnes (mt) as of April 15 in 2022-23 sugar season (October-September) against 32.87 mt in the year-ago period, according to Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), an industry body of private sugar companies.

As many as 400 mills have closed their operation and only 132 factories are still continuing the crushing as on April 15, against 305 operational factories in the year- ago period. Experts said that sugar production in next few weeks is unlikely to see any improvement, potentially widening the fall in overall output in the Country.