ISMA Estimates Sugar Output at 34.35 Million Tonnes

04-Nov-2025 09:14 PM

New Delhi. The Indian Sugar and Bio Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), the apex body of the domestic sugar industry, has released its first estimate of sugar production for the current marketing season.

According to ISMA's report, during the 2024-25 marketing season (October-September), the country's gross sugar production was 29.61 million tonnes, of which 3.502 million tonnes was used for ethanol production, leaving a stock of 26.108 million tonnes for food purposes.

In comparison, gross sugar production is expected to increase to 34.35 million tonnes in the 2025-26 marketing season. Of this, 3.4 million tonnes will be used for ethanol production, leaving a stock of 30.95 million tonnes for pure food purposes.

According to the report, compared to 2024-25, gross sugar production in Maharashtra is expected to jump from 9.351 million tons to 13 million tons in the 2025-26 season, from 10.101 million tons to 10.32 million tons in Uttar Pradesh, and from 5.489 million tons to 6.35 million tons in Karnataka.

Sugarcane production in other producing states—Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand—is expected to increase from 4.669 million tons in the previous season to 4.68 million tons in the current season. The sugarcane crushing and sugar production season has already begun.

The central government's quota for sugarcane-based ethanol supply requires 3.4 million tons of sugar to produce, a move that has disappointed the industry.

The Food Ministry itself last month estimated gross sugar production for the 2025-26 season at 34 million tons, based on feedback from various producing states, which was 0.9 million tons lower than ISMA's initial production estimate of 34.9 million tons. Sugar production estimates may change somewhat in the future.