Higher Crushing Volumes Signal Robust Start to the Season – Aligned with the Expectations
- Sugarcane throughput outperforms seasonal trend as sugar production till 30th November, 2025 in the current 2025-26 SS reached 41.08 lac tons, against 28.76 lac tons produced last year on the corresponding date. Number of operating factories were also higher at 428 this year, against 376 Factories which operated last year on the corresponding date.
- Field-level feedback points to healthier cane yields and better sugar recovery rates across key states versus last year, as sugarcane crushing gains momentum across the country.
- In Uttar Pradesh, sugar production has reached 13.97 lac tons, higher by 1.17 lac tons against last year as of end of November’2024.
- Maharashtra sugar mills have also outperformed last year performance on the corresponding date with 170 operating mills and sugar production at 16.95 lac tons.
- Similarly, crushing operations in Karnataka has also caught pace despite early disruptions due to farmers agitations.
- Following table gives state-wise detail of sugar production this year vis a vis last year:
| YTD | 30th November’ 2025 | 30th November’ 2024 | ||
| ZONE | No. of operating factories | Sugar production
(lac tons) |
No. of operating factories | Sugar production
(lac tons) |
| U.P. | 117 | 13.97 | 118 | 12.80 |
| Maharashtra | 170 | 16.95 | 124 | 4.60 |
| Karnataka | 75 | 7.74 | 71 | 8.12 |
| Gujarat | 13 | 0.92 | 14 | 0.80 |
| Tamil Nadu | 4 | 0.35 | 6 | 0.65 |
| Others | 49 | 1.15 | 43 | 1.79 |
| ALL INDIA | 428 | 41.08 | 376 | 28.76 |
(Note: Above sugar production figures are after diversion of sugar into ethanol)
ISMA reiterates its demand of upward revision of the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar, which has remained frozen for over six years despite rising production costs. With the recent increase of cane cost in U.P., Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand, the PAN India average cost of production has gone up to ₹41.72/kg. An increased MSP is essential to ensure fair returns to mills and timely payment to farmers.
ISMA also urges the Government to enhance the ethanol procurement price to reflect higher feedstock and conversion costs. The current allocation of only 289 crore litres of ethanol to the sugar sector for ESY 2025–26 — merely 27.5% of total allocations — has created a serious imbalance and left a large part of distillery capacity underutilised. To ensure optimum utilisation and long-term stability, ISMA has requested that ethanol allocation to the sugar industry be made in line with the NITI Aayog’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Roadmap, which emphasised 55% contribution coming from the sugar sector. About ISMA:
The Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) is the apex industry body representing private and public sector sugar and bio-energy producers in India. Established in 1932, ISMA plays a vital role in policy advocacy, sustainability initiatives, and advancing India’s energy transition goals through sugar and ethanol production.
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