Id: 134 Name: Media Release: Sugar Production upto 15th November, 2015 Venue: New Delhi Date: 18 Nov 2014 Event Pdf: Crushing in the new sugar season 2014-15 has just started and out of 509 sugar mills which operated during last year, 141 sugar mills have just started their crushing in the 2014-15 season. During last year, at the same time on 15th November 2013, 108 mills had started their crushing operations.   Most of the sugar mills, which have started crushing are in Maharashtra followed by Karnataka and Gujarat.   With the SAP being fixed at the same level as that of last year by U.P. Government and announcement of some tax concessions and financial assistance to sugar mills by the State Government, the mills in U.P. are expected to start by the end of November 2014.     The sugar production upto 15th November 2014, in the current sugar season, is around 5.6 lakh tons as compared to 4.62 lakh tons produced last year upto 15th November 2013.   The opening stock of sugar with the sugar industry as on 1st October 2014, as per reports submitted by the individual mills, is around 75 lakh tons.  However, the Government is estimating the opening balance at around 72 lakh tons.   ISMA’s estimate of sugar production for 2014-15 sugar season is around 250-255 lakh tons, whereas the Food Ministry is estimating the same at around 250.5 lakh tons.   As compared to the estimated domestic requirement of around 247 lakh tons for 2014-15 sugar season, there will be a small surplus sugar production in the next sugar season also, which will, however, be within control.   During 2013-14 season, the country produced 244 lakh tons of sugar and exported 21.17 lakh tons.  Out of this, 12.12 lakh tons was raw sugar and 9 lakh tons was white sugar.  Around 7 lakh tons has been the raw sugar exports, out of the above under the export incentive scheme.   There is an expected surplus of around 20 lakh tons during 2014-15 season and the industry has been requesting the Central Government to continue with the export incentive scheme and also help the industry to convert surplus sugar into ethanol with incentive.  Industry awaits decisions on both these fronts.