Despite increase in sowing area, sugarcane production is expected to fall sharply
07-Nov-2024 02:59 PM
New Delhi. Data from the Union Agriculture Ministry shows that the total sowing area of sugarcane at the national level increased by 57 thousand hectares from 57.11 lakh hectares last year to 57.68 lakh hectares this year and there was also abundant rain during the southwest monsoon season,
but despite this, the ministry has expressed apprehension of a sharp decline in the production of this important commercial crop in its first advance estimate.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, domestic production of 4531.58 lakh tonnes of sugarcane was produced in the season 2023-24, whereas in the current marketing season of 2024-25, it is likely to decline by 132.28 lakh tonnes to 4399.30 lakh tonnes.
In fact, sugarcane production was also low in the last season as the crop was damaged due to severe drought in the major producing states during August 2023. The reason for the decline in production this time is the opposite. During the current year,
the country received much more rainfall than the normal average during the months of July, August and September and many important producing areas either witnessed severe floods or the fields remained flooded for a long time.
In contrast to the Ministry of Agriculture, the apex industry body ISMA has estimated a decline in the area under sugarcane cultivation based on satellite images and has expressed the possibility of a decrease in its production.
Accordingly, it has estimated sugar production to decline by 7.64 lakh tonnes from 340.64 lakh tonnes in the 2023-24 season to 333 lakh tonnes in the current marketing season of 2024-25.
Under this, the biggest decline is expected in the most prominent producing state - Maharashtra, while production in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka is expected to remain almost equal.
Sugarcane crushing is scheduled to begin in Maharashtra from November 15, but the Association of Private Sugar Mills (WISMA) has cautioned that if the ex-factory minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar and the price of ethanol are not increased, sugarcane crushing in the state may start late, which may affect sugar production.