News Capsule: Uttar Pradesh – Decline in Sugar Production
05-Feb-2026 11:52 AM
News Capsule: Uttar Pradesh – Decline in Sugar Production
★ Sugar production in Uttar Pradesh recorded its first decline of the season in January. Lower availability of sugarcane affected crushing operations, forcing some sugar mills to shut operations earlier than usual.
★ Yield of the ratoon (old) crop has fallen by 15–30%, while the initial harvest of the new (plant) crop has seen around a 10% decline. Industry experts have attributed the drop in productivity mainly to rains received in western Uttar Pradesh during April–May 2025, which tend to impact the plant crop more severely.
★ In January, sugar production in the state stood at 1.945 million tonnes, compared with 2.01 million tonnes in the same period last year. Cumulative production during October–January reached 5.51 million tonnes, slightly higher than last season, though the pace of cane crushing has weakened.
★ Cane crushing in January declined to 19.186 million tonnes from 21.283 million tonnes a year ago. According to the first advance estimate by ISMA, India’s gross sugar production in the 2025–26 season is projected at 34.35 million tonnes, lower than the previous year.
★ Sugar output in Uttar Pradesh is expected to remain close to last year’s level, though the final outcome will depend on crop performance in the coming months and the progress of crushing operations.