Regardless of a late begin, the continued sugarcane crushing season for the yr 2024-25 will probably be curtailed early in Maharashtra and Karnataka for need of sugarcane for crushing. Sugar cane manufacturing is estimated decrease in the course of the present season because the yield has been affected by pest infestation and water stress in the course of the summer season final yr in the important thing producing States.
Prakash Naiknavare, Managing Director, Nationwide Federation of Co-operative Sugar Factories Ltd (NFCSF), stated the 2024-25 crushing season might finish a month earlier on account of lack of cane. “Some mills in Maharashtra and Karnataka are closing by the top of this month. I see about 12 mills closing operations there on the finish of January for need of sugarcane. By mid-February, one other 20-25 mills will shut. By February-end, a majority of them will nearly shut after which by the top of March, for my part, the season will likely be over,” Naiknavare stated.
8% decrease crushing
NFCSF is projecting a dip within the nation’s sugar output yr. “Final yr we produced one thing like 319 lakh tonnes (lt). This yr we’re projecting sugar manufacturing of 270 lt,” Naiknavare stated.
As per the NFCSF’s newest crushing report as of January 15, about 507 mills are crushing cane this yr in comparison with 524 million within the final yr. About 122 mills are operational in Uttar Pradesh towards 120 final yr. In Maharasthra, the variety of mills operational are 196 this yr in contrast with 206 a yr in the past. Nevertheless, in Karnataka the variety of mills operational this yr is 77 towards 74 final yr.
About 1,482.14 lt of sugarcane have been crushed until January 15, down 8 per cent over 1,612.83 lt a yr in the past. Complete sugar produced within the present season is 130.55 lt, down 13.65 per cent in contrast with 151.20 lt a yr in the past.
Exports a lift
The common sugar restoration in share phrases, excluding the diversion for ethanol, is 8.81 per cent, to date, in contrast with 9.37 per cent a yr in the past. The restoration is decrease throughout all of the sugar producing States. In UP, the restoration this season has been is 9.05 per cent (9.90 per cent final yr), in Maharasthra 8.80 per cent (8.95 per cent) and Karnataka at 8.50 per cent (9.60 per cent), as per the NFCSF estimates.
Commenting on the federal government’s determination to permit exports, Naiknavare stated the choice has come on the proper time as a result of the costs have been very miserable. “The home realisation has obtained a lift due to that announcement and costs have firmed up in all of the States,” Naiknavare stated.
As per authorities estimates, sugar manufacturing within the 2024-25 season beginning October 1 is estimated to be 32 million tonnes, whereas the home consumption is estimated at 28.5-29 million tonnes with some 4 million tonnes diverted for ethanol manufacturing.