Sugar Industry Expected to Perform Better Next Season

18-Sep-2025 05:49 PM

Mumbai. With a strong potential sugarcane yield and expected high sugar recovery rates, the domestic industry is confident of a favorable opportunity to improve its performance in the 2025-26 marketing season.

The apex industry body, the Indian Sugar and Bio Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), has initially estimated sugar production at 34.9 million tonnes for the marketing season beginning in October 2025 and continuing through September 2026, an increase of 5.4 million tonnes, or approximately 18 percent, from the 29.5 million tonnes estimated for the 2024-25 season.

This includes stocks of sugar used in ethanol production. This is ISMA's preliminary production figure, while the organization is expected to release its first advance sugar production estimate in October-November.

According to ISMA, after meeting food needs, a surplus stock of approximately 12 million tons of sugar is expected to remain in the 2025-26 marketing season, which is expected to be available for ethanol production and export purposes.

At a conference of sugar and ethanol producers yesterday, the ISMA President urged the government to allow the export of 2 million tons of sugar in the 2025-26 marketing season.

The Union Food Secretary has also stated that good times are ahead for the sugar industry. Sugarcane and sugar production are expected to improve in the 2025-26 season, which will also help increase ethanol production.

The Sugar Conference specifically discussed how to utilize the 12 million tons of sugar surplus stock expected to be available during the 2025-26 marketing season (October-September).

This surplus stock includes leftover stock at the end of the 2024-25 season. Sugarcane crushing is expected to begin in the next 15-20 days.