PRESS RELEASE

• As expected, crushing for sugar season 2018-19 has started on time.  As on 15^th November 2018, 238 sugar mills were already crushing sugarcane, as compared to 349 sugar mills which were crushing sugarcane last year on 15^th November 2017.

• Sugar production as on 15^th November 2018 was 11.63 lac tons, as compared to 13.73 lac tons produced as on 15^th November, 2017.

• Most of the sugar mills in U.P. started in the first half of November 2018, whereas 38 mills had started crushing in October last year.   Due to late start, U.P. sugar mills have produced 1.76 lac tons of sugar upto 15^th November 2018 as against 5.67 lac tons produced last year till 15^th November 2017.  71 sugar mills were crushing sugarcane as on 15^th November 2018, as against 78 sugar mills last year same time.

• In case of Maharashtra, sugar mills started their crushing operations earlier this year, in latter part of October.  Accordingly, as on 15^th November 2018, though only 108 mills were in operation, they produced 6.31 lac tons of sugar.  Last year, sugar mills started crushing late than usual, from 5^th November only, because of which as on 15^th November 2017, even though 160 mills were in operation, they produced 3.26 lac tons only as on 15^th November 2017.  

• In Karnataka, 36 sugar mills were in operation as on 15^th November 2018 and produced 1.85 lac tons, as compared to 59 mills who had produced 3.71 lac tons last year on the corresponding period.

• There were 14 sugar mills in operation in Gujarat as on 15^th November 2018 and these mills have produced 1.05 lac tons till that date.  However, last year in the same period, 15 mills had produced only 80,000 tons of sugar.

• 4 sugar mills in Tamil Nadu have started crushing till 15^th November 2018 and they produced 60,000 tons of sugar.  Last year, 6 mills were operating, which produced 17000 tons till 15^th November 2017.