India’s sugar exports in the first four months of the sugar season 2021-22 have jumped 242 per cent on robust demand. Shipments during October-January period stood at 31.5 lakh tonnes as compared to 9.2 lakh tonnes in the same period last year, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), the apex trade body.
Indian exporters have contracted around 50 lakh tonnes of the sweetener for exports, so far. Further, it is reported that over 8 lakh tonnes of sugar is in pipeline to be exported in February 2022.
Further, ISMA said that sugar output till mid February was up 5.6 per cent at 220.91 lakh tonnes, as compared to 209.11 lakh tonnes in the same period last year. Out of 516 sugar mills that had started crushing in 2021-22 sugar season, 13 sugar mills have stopped their crushing operations so far. Last year, 496 sugar mills were in operation, out of which 32 had stopped crushing on the corresponding date last year.
In Maharashtra, the sugar production till Feb 15 was 14 per cent more at 86.15 lakh tonnes as compared to 75.46 lakh tonnes in the same period last year. However, in Uttar Pradesh, the sugar production in the current season is trailing last year’s levels. As of mid-Feb, the sugar output in UP was about 9 per cent lower at 59.32 lakh tonnes as compared to 65.13 lakh tonnes in the same period last year.
In Karnataka, the sugar output was higher by 15 per cent at 44.85 lakh tonnes till mid-Feb as compared to 39.07 lakh tonnes. Also in Gujarat, the production was higher at 6.91 lakh tonnes (6.55 lakh tonnes in same period last year), while in Tamil Nadu the production has increased to 3.60 lakh tonnes (2.47 lakh tonnes). The remaining States of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Odisha have collectively produced 20.08 lakh tonnes till mid-Feb.
Ethanol requirement, allocation
On the ethanol front, ISMA said that out of the requirement of 95 crore litres given by the oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the fourth 4 cycle, about 39 crore litres have been offered by the suppliers. OMCs are currently examining the bids and are expected to do the allocations shortly. However, for the 2021-22 Ethanol supply year, OMCs have already allocated about 385 crore litres of ethanol from different feed stocks.
The above news was originally posted on www.thehindubusinessline.com