India’s sugar output rises 8%

India’s sugar production has reached 27.39 million tonnes (mt) so far in the 2025-26 season from 25.43 mt in the year-ago period, up by 8 per cent mainly on higher output in Maharashtra and Karnataka, according to cooperative industry body NFCSF. The sugar output was 26.2 mt in the entire 2024-25 season (October-September).

As the current sugar season ends on September 30, there is scope to add more sugar from the second season in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka during August-September. Of the 21 mills currently in operation, 11 are in Tamil Nadu, 9 in Uttar Pradesh, and 1 in Haryana. The mills in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are likely to end crushing this month.

According to the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd (NFCSF) data, sugar output in Maharashtra, the top producer, rose 23 per cent to 9.92 mt as on April 15, as against 8.06 mt year-ago. In Karnataka, the third-largest producer, production has increased by 17 per cent to 4.71 million tonnes from 4.04 million tonnes.

But in Uttar Pradesh, the second-largest sugar producer, this year it has declined by 2 per cent to 8.92 mt from 9.1 mt.

The all-India average sugar recovery was higher at 9.55 per cent till April 15 of this season as against 9.37 per cent a year ago. Of the 541 mills that operated, the crushing operation had been closed in 520 mills, whereas in the year-ago period, 499 mills had closed by April 15.

Tags: sugar, India