Sugar Production updates till 31st Jan, 2013
· The pace of sugar production in the country over last fortnight (i.e. 15th Jan to 31st Jan, 2013) has been little slower as compared to the first fortnight of the month (i.e. 1st Jan to 15th Jan, 2013). Till 31st Jan, 2013, country has produced 137.51 lakh tonnes of sugar, which is about 2.95% higher than last year same time. Although this year there are about 15 lesser mills crushing sugarcane, but with better crushing capacities and capacity utilization, the production is higher to last year. Total 510 sugar mills are operational which have crushed more than 1410 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, which is again 2.98% higher crushing than last year.
· Maharashtra has lost the initial pace of sugar production over last year. The State has produced 48.2 lakh tonnes of sugar upto Jan end, which is slightly higher than last year of 47.2 lakh tonnes. However, it has crushed about 3% more sugarcane than last year, clearly pointing to lower sugar recoveries till now this year. The recovery upto 31st Jan, 2013, is about 10.82% which is lower by about 0.13% over last year.
· Uttar Pradesh, which will be the largest sugar producing State this year, has produced about 36.29 lakh tonnes of sugar which is still less than last year, by just about 1 lakh tonnes during same corresponding period. Mills in the State have crushed 409 lakh tonnes of sugarcane which is about 5% lower than last year. However, recovery % is 8.86%, which is higher by 0.22% than last year. The crushing in the State started slightly later this year as compared to last year, when the mills were forced to start early, has actually accentuated the recovery % especially in western and central zones. The trend indicates that the State should reach around 80 lakh tons of sugar production by end of the season this year.
· Karnataka has already produced 24 lakh tonnes of sugar which is about 11% higher than the last year same period. The pace of sugar production has slowed down in comparison to the pace with which it was producing sugar till first fortnight of Jan. State has recorded 10.10% recovery which is same as that of last year.
· Andhra Pradesh has produced 5.85 lakh tonnes of sugar with 9.37% recovery. This sugar production is up by 5% over last year but recovery is lower. Less recovery reported is on account of cyclonic effects and erratic rainfall in the state.
· Tamil Nadu has produced 6.25 lakh tonnes of sugar which is about 9% higher than the last year same time, but this sugar production comes with 11% more sugarcane crushing with lesser recorded recovery %. State level recovery % is lower due to less recorded North-East monsoon in the month of Nov- Dec, 2012.
· ISMA has revised their initial sugar production estimates for 2012-13 season (as given in Sep, 2012) figures from 240 to 243 lakh tonnes of sugar (as estimated in Jan, 2013) on account of lesser sugarcane diversion to local sweeteners & better recoveries. As per latest estimates, ISMA has projected production in the 4 important States as follows:
Uttar Pradesh–81 lakh tonnes,
Maharashtra-68 lakh tonnes,
Karnataka- 32 lakh tonnes and
Tamil Nadu- 22 lakh tonnes