Sugar Production Declines in Uttar Pradesh Due to Low Sugarcane Supply
05-Feb-2026 01:46 PM
Lucknow: For the first time during the current marketing season, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh, the country's leading sugarcane-producing state, registered a decline in January 2026. Sugarcane crushing is proceeding slowly, and some units are not receiving adequate raw material.
The situation is so dire that one unit of the largest sugar production company in Uttar Pradesh had to shut down on January 27, 2026, due to a shortage of sugarcane.
Farmers in Uttar Pradesh are complaining of a significant drop in the average sugarcane yield this year. In some areas, the productivity of the old crop has fallen by up to 30 percent, while the yield of the new crop has decreased by up to 10 percent.
The President of the UP Sugar Mills Association and Managing Director of Dwarikesh Sugar Industries stated that sugar production in Uttar Pradesh during the current marketing season may be lower than initially projected, but it will still be close to the production levels of the previous marketing season.
Earlier, a significant increase in sugar production was expected in Uttar Pradesh during the 2025-26 season compared to the 2024-25 season, as there were indications of an improvement in the average sugar recovery rate from sugarcane.
The Association President said that it is difficult to make a definite estimate of sugar production in the state at present, and therefore, it is necessary to wait and see how the sugarcane crop performs in the coming months.
Reports of a decline in crop yield are coming in from Western Uttar Pradesh. In some parts of Shamli district, the productivity of ratoon sugarcane has fallen from 55 quintals per bigha in the last season to 48 quintals this year.
According to industry analysts, the average yield of ratoon sugarcane is expected to decline by 15-20 percent, but it is still difficult to estimate the overall decline in productivity.
A survey conducted by a private firm on 52 sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh revealed that 67 percent of the units are using C-heavy molasses for sugar production, while only 33 percent are using B-heavy molasses.