The production of sugar has fallen by over 11 per cent in the first four months of the current sugar season. However, its consumption has shown a steady rise of nearly 6.8 per cent. Sugar exports are marginally lower than last year.
According to the latest production and offtake figures for October-January released jointly by the Indian Sugar Mills Association and the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories, the total sugar output till January-end this year was 64.77 lakh tonnes, about 11.28 per cent lower than last seasons corresponding figure of 56.33 lakh tonnes. The production in January this year was 26.51 lakh tonnes, against 27.32 lakh tonnes in January 1996.
The overall offtake of indigenous sugar for internal consumption in the period was 47.24 lakh tonnes, against 42.2 lakh tonnes last year, when an additional 2 lakh tonnes of imported sugar was also pumped into the market.
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The export of sugar till now is estimated at 2.59 lakh tonnes, against 2.93 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
According to the food ministry, the total production in the entire sugar season this year may not exceed 140 lakh tonnes, against last years record 164 lakh tonnes. The ministry, however, does not expect any problem in meeting the domestic demand, which too is projected at 140 lakh tonnes.
Since the current season had begun with a carry-over stock of over 80 lakh tonnes, a substantial part of the seasons production might have to be carried forward to the next sugar year, food ministry officials said.