Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday assured sugar mill owners that a solution to their problems owing to the government's policy on the use of sugar for ethanol production will be found after April, and they should not worry. India will one day become an exporter of energy and there was a need to develop agriculture for this to happen, he said, speaking at the International Sugarcane Conference organized by the Vasantdada Sugar Institute here. The institute is headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. The Union government last year banned the use of sugarcane juice for making ethanol, but later reversed the decision by allowing the use of sugarcane juice as well as B-heavy molasses to produce the green fuel but capped the diversion of sugar at 17 lakh tonnes. Gadkari said the sugar industry should give more importance to ethanol production. "Maximum ethanol, minimum sugar. With ethanol, we need to promote flex engine vehicles and at the same time, the government will take ...
A state-run sugar factory, which has been shut in South Goa since 2019, would resume operation in the next one year and produce ethanol from sugarcane, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said. The Request For Qualification (RFQ) has been invited from the eligible bidders to re-start the Sanjivani Sugar Factory to produce ethanol from the sugarcane available in the surrounding talukas, he told reporters on Tuesday. The assurance was given as the sugarcane farmers were protesting since January 2, demanding resumption of operations at the factory, located at Usgao village in South Goa district. The state-run factory, which was started in 1974, produced sugar by procuring sugarcane from farmers till 2019, before it was shut due to the mounting debt. Sawant said the farmers need not protest as they are already being offered compensation for the last four years due to closure of the factory. He said the farmers have been cumulatively paid a compensation of Rs 30 crore by the state ...
Currently, the company has significant Chlor Alkali facilities in Bharuch and aims at increasing the existing capacities while adding new products to its Chlor-Alkali portfolio
India's sugar production fell 11 per cent year-on-year to 74.05 lakh tonnes during the October 1-December 15 period of the current marketing year, mainly due to lower output in Maharashtra and Karnataka, according to industry body ISMA. The sugar marketing year runs from October to September. In a statement, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said that the sugar production till December 15 in the current 2023-24 marketing year reached 74.05 lakh tonnes against 82.95 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. The number of operating factories stood unchanged year-on-year at 497. "Notably, this year sugar factories in Maharashtra and Karnataka started around 10-15 days later compared to the last year," ISMA said. In Uttar Pradesh, sugar production has increased to 22.11 lakh tonnes till December 15 of the 2023-24 marketing year compared to 20.26 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period. However, the sugar output declined in Maharashtra to 24.45 lakh tonnes from
ISMA says move may delay cane price payment to farmers
The 2023-24 sugar season started in October, while the ethanol supply year (ESY) started in November
The Centre on Thursday banned the use of 'sugacane juice and sugar syrup' for ethanol production in the 2023-24 supply year that started this month, in order to maintain adequate sugar availability for domestic consumption and to keep prices under check. However, the government has allowed use of 'B-molasses' for ethanol production in 2023-24, a move which sugar industry bodies welcomed. In a letter issued to all sugar mills and distillers, the Food Ministry directed them "not to use sugarcane juice /sugar syrup" for ethanol production during the 2023-24 ethanol supply year (December-November). The directive was issued as per clause 4 and 5 of the Sugar (Control) Order 1966. "Supply of ethanol from existing offers received by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) from B-Heavy molasses will continue," Food ministry said in the letter. The decision by the ministry comes in the backdrop of estimated fall in sugar production in 2023-24 marketing year (October-September). Welcoming the move,
The sugarcane crushing operation in the 2023-23 season is in full swing post-Diwali across the country, trade body AISTA said on Tuesday. Sugar season runs from October to September. "The crushing operation is in full swing across the country now. All sugar factories have started the crushing," All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) chairman Praful Vithalani told PTI. Some mills had begun the crushing operation during mid-October. However, it picked up post-Diwali, he said. There are about more than 700 installed sugar factories in the country with crushing capacity of about 340 lakh tonnes of sugar, as per the official data. The country's total sugarcane production is estimated to be higher at 434.79 million tonnes in the 2023-24 crop year (July-June), as against 422.25 million tonnes in the previous year, as per the first estimate released by the agriculture ministry. There was an opening stock of sugar at 5.7 million tonnes as of October 1 in view of slight decline in the .
Their assumption is based on the sugarcane crushing that has taken place in major growing states in the first month and half of the 2023-24 new season
Brazil has offered to share its ethanol production technology with India as part of efforts to resolve a sugar related dispute between the two countries at WTO (World Trade Organisation), an official said. The South American nation in its proposal has stated that the ethanol production technology would help India to use surplus sugar in making ethanol. The offer can help India utilise its excess sugar output and ease competition for Brazil in the international sugar market. Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane and ethanol in the world. It is a leader in the technology used for ethanol production. It is also the largest exporter of sugar in the world. India is the world's second-largest producer. The proposal could benefit India as it aims to gradually increase the percentage of blending of ethanol in petroleum auto fuels and reduce dependence on imported crude oil. "Brazil has a flex technology. They do ethanol blending. That technology is good for India also. Brazil has ar
State utility clears Rs 1,361 cr pending dues to Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar
The government has given a final call to all legal entities engaged in sugar trade to declare their stocks on a food ministry website by October 17, and warned that strict action will be taken against those for violation. On September 23, the Food Ministry had issued an order directing all sugar stakeholders -- wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers and processors -- to weekly update their stock position on its website. The Ministry, however, observed that many of the legal entities dealing with sugar trade/storage have "still not registered" themselves on the sugar stock management system. "Various instances have been reported to the Directorate of Sugar and Vegetable Oils, where many of these legal entities are having possession of a substantial quantity of unreported sugar stocks," the ministry said in a letter written to all stakeholders. There are cases where these entities are not updating their sugar stock on a regular basis, it said, adding this not only violates the .
SATARA/SANGLI/SOLAPUR, India (Reuters) - Sugarcane growers in India's top producing states are worried scanty rainfall during the crop's crucial growth period could trim yields and reduce sugar output in the upcoming season, farmers and industry sources told Reuters.
Sugar production has also fallen in Karnataka and Gujarat
However, several industry players said despite fall in sugar production, ethanol diversion will be steady at 4.5 million tonnes as against 3.6 million tonnes in 2021-22 (October to September)
Lower sugar output from India, the world's biggest producer of the sweetener, will leave hardly any surplus for additional exports during the current 2022/23 season
India, which vies with Brazil as the world's biggest sugar producer, will not allow any more exports for now on concern that weaker production will threaten domestic supplies
India is not looking at allowing more sugar exports, government and industry officials said on Thursday
Sugar mills have entered into contracts to export 55 lacs tons of sweetener so far in current marketing year ending September and out of that, according to industry body ISMA
India, the world's biggest sugar producer and the second biggest exporter, had produced a record 35.9 million tonnes of sugar in the previous season ended on Sept. 30, 2022