Likely Decline in Sugar Production Next Season

09-Jun-2026 01:17 PM

New Delhi: While the sugarcane cultivation area may not shrink significantly at the national level, a lack of rainfall raises the risk of a sharp drop in average yield and sugar recovery rates.

This could lead to a decline in total production. Domestic sugar production is projected to rise by approximately 1.5 million tonnes—from 26.1 million tonnes in the 2024-25 season to around 27.6 million tonnes in the 2025-26 marketing season (October–September)—though a decline is anticipated again in the 2026-27 season. In light of this, a ban on sugar exports has been imposed.

Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka are the top three sugarcane-producing states. Additionally, states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana also record significant sugarcane yields.

Although the Union Ministry of Agriculture estimated sugarcane production at 500 million tonnes for the 2025-26 season, this figure does not align with the actual output trends for sugar, jaggery/khandsari, and ethanol.