The increase in the sugarcane area in Punjab and better recovery percentage has yielded its results, as the sugar output in the state has increased dramatically over the last year. According to the data, sugar output in the state touched 2.95 million quintals in the current crushing season as compared to 1.82 million quintals during the corresponding period last year.
The total area under sugarcane cultivation in Punjab was 84,000 hectares this year while last year it was 60,000 hectares. Speaking to Business Standard, senior officials in the cane commissioner office said, “The sugar output in the state touched 2.95 million quintals this crushing season as compared to 1.82 million quintals last season. The crop was very good in the current season, as 16 sugar mills in the state crushed 34 million quintal of sugarcane this season and the recovery was 8.7 per cent. The increase in output is mainly because of increase in area coupled with expectations of better recovery (of sugar) as compared to last year.” While last year 15 sugar mills in the state crushed 21 million quintals of sugarcane and the recovery rate was 8.59 per cent.
It is worth mentioning that last year the sugar output in Punjab touched a historic low of 1.82 million quintals owing to shortage in cane crop and lower crushing. According to the state government data, the output is lowest in the state’s history after 1980-81. The data states that in 1980-81, the sugar output in the state was 519,000 quintals and thereafter it kept on increasing. Agriculturists are of the view that with farmers shifting their preference towards wheat and paddy, the consistent fall in area under cane cultivation has badly affected the sugarcane production in the state, thus reducing the output.
Also, last year, due to shortage of cane, all the nine co-operative sugar mills in the state having crushing capacities of 15,766 TCD (tonnes crushed per day) has been affected. The crushing season has been reduced to 42-46 days last season. Even the picture of the private sugar mills was not very rosy. In order to keep themselves running, the seven mills in the private sector had to shell out anywhere between Rs 240 and Rs 270 per quintal to growers. The installed capacity of all the seven sugar mills in private sector is 31,000 TCD.
According to officials in the government their average crushing season was reduced to 85-90 days last year. While this year, even the average crushing season of the mills in both private and public sector was about 100-110 days.
