Higher Sugar Output Likely on Expanded Sugarcane Sowing Area
19-Aug-2025 08:18 PM
New Delhi. Data from the Union Agriculture Ministry shows that during the current year, till August 15, the domestic production area of sugarcane improved to 57.31 lakh hectares, which is 1.63 lakh hectares more than the sowing area of 55.68 lakh hectares during the same period last year and 4.80 lakh hectares more than the five-year area of 52.51 lakh hectares.
The condition of the crop is satisfactory due to good monsoon rains, but if the fields remain flooded for a long time due to heavy rains in Maharashtra, then the sugarcane crop may be damaged. Its new crushing season is going to start from October 2025.
Although there is a report of reduction in sowing area in the most prominent sugarcane producing state - Uttar Pradesh, but the area has increased in the second and third largest producing states - Maharashtra and Karnataka.
There has also been some change in the area under sugarcane in other important sugar producing states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.
The apex industry body - Indian Sugar and Bio Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) and National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF) have estimated the gross sugar production to increase by about 18 per cent to around 350 lakh tonnes in the marketing season (October-September) of 2025-26.
This also includes the stock of sugar used in ethanol production. But one thing is important to note. This is the initial production estimate of the sugar industry, while the actual production may differ from this.
During the current marketing season of 2024-25, there has been a sharp decline in sugar production in all the three top producing states - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, due to which its outstanding surplus stock is likely to decrease.
The ex-factory price of sugar remains attractive for millers and hence crushing of sugarcane may start early in the upcoming marketing season. Some analysts are estimating that the price of sugar may increase by Rs 100-150 per quintal during the festive season.