Second estimate of sugar production in 2013-14

• ISMA had made an estimation of sugarcane availability and thereafter sugar production for 2013-14 sugar season in September 2013, which was based on the satellite images obtained in August 2013, of sugarcane crop and the area under sugarcane across the country.  It was then estimated that around 250 lakh tons of sugar will get produced during the current sugar season.
• The second set of satellite images have been procured in the end of January, 2014 with the area which has been harvested from November 2013 to January, 2014 and the area under the crop which is yet to be harvested are available with ISMA.  Further, the trend of yields and sugar recovery for the current season has been taken into consideration, including the trend of diversion of sugarcane for use by alternate sweetener manufacturers like Gur and Khandsari.
• Due consideration has also been given to weather conditions prevailing in the last several months, including heavy rainfall in certain parts of U.P as well as availability of water in Maharashtra and North Karnataka and less availability of water in Tamil Nadu.
• After considering the above factors and examining satellite images of sugarcane crop of January, 2014 and the area harvested and unharvested as of now, the Committee of ISMA in its meeting held on 6^th March 2014 and after detailed deliberations has revised its earlier estimate of sugar production from 250 lakh tons  to 238 Lakh tons.
• Major sugar producing States like U.P, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are expected to produce 66 lakh tons, 78 lakh tons, 35 lakh tons, 15 lakh tons, 11.7 lakh tons and 9.5 lakh tons, respectively.
• Sugar production in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu is showing a lower production trend of 11 lakh tons and 1 lakh tons, respectively than the estimate made by ISMA in September, 2013.
• The Main reasons behind the lower sugar production in Uttar Pradesh is damage of sugarcane crops due to heavy rainfall in Eastern U.P region and diversion of sugarcane by farmers to alternate sweetener producers to make way for sowing of wheat due to late start of sugar mills.  Though recovery% is good in the State, yield is estimated to be lower than last year.
• In Tamil Nadu, both yield and recovery percentage of sugar is lower than the last year’s level and accordingly, about 4 lakh tons of sugar is expected to be produced lower than the last year’s level of sugar production of 19.3 lakh tons.