Over a third of Maharashtra's sugar mills shut on lower cane availability

Sugar output in the state down 28% to 3.14 mn tonnes as of Jan 15; wholesale prices surge 5%

About 38 per cent of the sugar mills in Maharashtra have been forced to shut down this year due to inadequate supply of cane from farmers.

Data compiled by industry body Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) showed that 149 sugar mills started crushing cane this year in the beginning of the season. However, 56 mills have already announced closure due to the scarcity of cane in the state. Consequently, total sugar output in the state declined by as much as 28 per cent to 3.14 million tonnes as of January 15, from 4.38 million tonnes produced by the same