The domestic supply of the sweetener is not anticipated to be “adverse” in the 2023–24 season, according to the sugar cooperative NFCSF, which on Thursday dispelled rumours of a potential scarcity in the nation as a result of El Nino.
Sugar season runs from October to September. The crushing process for 2023–24 has not yet started.
The National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd (NFCSF) in a statement said El Nino – which refers to the warming of the ocean surface – has impacted the drying flurry of monsoon in some parts of Maharashtra.
NFCSF Managing Director Prakash Naiknavare said, “However, all other cane growing states i.e. Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Uttarakhand, have received above normal rains which has definitely helped the growth stage of standing cane to gain weight and sucrose content.”
He also observed that there is a “widespread rumour” in some sections about possible severe shortage of sugar during the 2023-24 season.
“The factual situation is contrary to this speculative projection,” he said.
Citing an example of expected higher yields in certain states, Naiknavare said the net sugar production in Karnataka which was feared to drop to 3.5 million tonnes is actually projected to yield in excess of 4.5 million tonnes.
Uttar Pradesh, the largest sugarcane and sugar producing state, is projected to surpass its last year’s net sugar production by a million tonne, he said.
“As far as Maharashtra is concerned, after a prolonged dry spell of August, monsoon has revived in September which will help improve the health of standing crop and sucrose content,” he added.
Naiknavare also mentioned that parallelly there is a thought process going that “India could import a certain quantity of raw sugar to supplement cane crushing in the areas where climatic impact is likely to reduce crushable sugarcane.”
This assumes importance in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat where the crushing capacity has gone up. Raw sugar if used along with cane for crushing will not only enable mills to attain an economic scale of operation but will help increase net sugar production.
Area sown to sugarcane remained slightly higher at 59.91 lakh hectares till September 1 of this year, as against 55.65 lakh hectares in the year-ago period as per the data maintained by the agriculture ministry.
Sugar output is pegged at 34 million tonne in 2022-23 season, lower than 35.8 million tonne in the previous marketing year.
