Sugar output pegged at 25.1 mt: Report

Sugar production for this crop year is pegged at 25.1 million tonnes, mainly due to estimated decline in output in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, according to a report by Kingsman, a unit of S&P Global Platts.

The overall production in the country till end- April in the 2015-16 crop year was at 24.6 million tonnes (mt), down 11 per cent from a year earlier.

"In case of India, we have reduced our 2015-16 sugar production estimates from 25.6 mt to 25.1 mt," Kingsman, a unit of S&P Global Platts, said in its latest report.

As per its estimates, the major reduction in sugar would be in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
 
Production across the country is almost complete for this crop year with only 48 mills continuing with crushing operations, compared with 97 a year ago, Kingsman said.

Sugar industry body ISMA has also made downward revision of production to over 25 MT for the current marketing year on lower sugarcane availability.

Earlier, the Centre had directed traders not to hold sugar stock of more than 10,000 quintals in Kolkata and 5,000 quintals in other parts of the country, to check sugar prices.

The Cabinet had on April 28 approved a Food Ministry's proposal to empower state governments to impose stock holding limits on sugar traders.