15th December, 2017 Latest Update- No need to import Sugar in the coming Year, says ISMA
India may not need to import sugar in the coming year as higher production levels are anticipated during the current crop year (October 2017-November 2018).
“Sugar production in the country is expected to be 251 lakh tonnes (lt) and our domestic consumption hovers around 251-252 lt and we already have an opening balance of 39 lt [* Sugar production till 30th November, 2017 in the current 2017-18 SS is 39.51 lac tons. This is about 11.69 lac tons higher than the production in the last season upto the same corresponding period when 27.82 lac tons of sugar was produced.]. We do not expect there would be any need to import sugar this year,” said Abinash Verma, Director-General, Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA).
30th November, 2017 Latest Update On Crushing Sugarcane- As compared to 393 sugar factories which were crushing sugarcane last year on 30th November, 2016, 443 sugar mills were crushing sugarcane on 30th November, 2017 this year.
State-wise Number of Existing Sugar Mills, Functional Sugar Mills, and Closed Sugar Mills in the country during the Sugar Season 2016-2017
STATE | Total Installed Sugar Mills | Operated Sugar Mills During current Sugar Season 2016-2017 | Closed Sugar Mills
Position as on 10-MARCH-2017 Application
Punjab – 24 Sugar Mills – 16 Sugar Mills – 8 Sugar Mills
Haryana – 16 Sugar Mills – 14 Sugar Mills – 2 Sugar Mills
Rajasthan – 3 Sugar Mills – 1 Sugar Mill – 2 Sugar Mills
Uttar Pradesh – 158 Sugar Mills – 116 Sugar Mills – 42 Sugar Mills
Uttaranchal – 10 Sugar Mills – 8 Sugar Mills – 2 Sugar Mills
Madhya Pradesh – 24 Sugar Mills – 18 Sugar Mills – 6 Sugar Mills
Chhattisgarh – 3 Sugar Mills – 3 Sugar Mills – 0 Sugar Mill
Gujarat – 27 Sugar Mills – 18 Sugar Mills – 9 Sugar Mills
Maharashtra – 243 Sugar Mills – 150 Sugar Mills – 93 Sugar Mills
Bihar – 28 Sugar Mills – 11 Sugar Mills – 17 Sugar Mills
Assam – 3 Sugar Mills – 0 Sugar Mill – 3 Sugar Mills
Orissa – 8 Sugar Mills – 2 Sugar Mills – 6 Sugar Mills
West Bengal – 2 Sugar Mills – 0 Sugar Mill – 2 Sugar Mills
Andhra Pradesh – 33 Sugar Mills – 18 Sugar Mills – 15 Sugar Mills
Telangna – 11 Sugar Mills – 7 Sugar Mills – 4 Sugar Mills
Karnataka – 78 Sugar Mills – 59 Sugar Mills – 19 Sugar Mills
Tamil Nadu – 46 Sugar Mills – 38 Sugar Mills – 8 Sugar Mills
Pondicherry – 2 Sugar Mills – 0 Sugar Mill – 2 Sugar Mills
Kerala – 2 Sugar Mills – 0 Sugar Mill – 2 Sugar Mills
Goa – 1 Sugar Mill – 1 Sugar Mill – 0 Sugar Mill
Nagaland – 1 Sugar Mills – 0 Sugar Mill – 1 Sugar Mill
Dadra & Nagar Haveli – 1 Sugar Mill – 0 Sugar Mill – 1 Sugar Mill
CLOSING OF SUGAR MILLS DUE TO LACK OF SUGARCANE – As per reporta from sugar producing States, out of 480 sugar mills which commenced crushing operations during current sugar season 2016-17, about 284 sugar mills have been closed down up to 15th March, 2017 due to in-sufficient sugarcane availability in their operational area.
The factors responsible for shortfall in sugarcane production- Low availability of irrigation water, non-availability of quality seeds, financial and managerial constraints and lack of awareness of farmers about production technology etc. are the primary factors responsible for shortfall in
sugarcane production.
In order to enhance production and productivity of sugarcane, Sugarcane Development programme is implemented in major sugarcane growing States, under National Food Security Mission (Commercial Crops).
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducts the research on sugarcane crop improvement through its two premier research institutions viz., ICARIndian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow and ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore and also through All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Sugarcane with 22 centres located in different State Agricultural Universities in the country. A total of 113 sugarcane varieties have been developed to cater the need of different agro-climatic zones of the country.
Leu us hope, concerned to take steps to reopen/revive the closed sugar mills as far as private sector is concerned and State Government/UTs concerned in the case of the Public and Cooperative sugar mills.