Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has recorded the highest increase in sugar recovery during the current sugarcane crushing season, overtaking Maharashtra, India’s largest sugar-producing state.
According to data from the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), sugar recovery in Uttar Pradesh rose from 9.05% in 2024–25 to 9.80% this season, marking an increase of about 8.28%. In comparison, Maharashtra saw a much smaller rise, with recovery improving from 8.80% to 9%, an increase of 2.27%.
How Other States Performed
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Gujarat recorded an improvement in sugar recovery from 9% to 9.5%
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Karnataka, however, saw a decline from 8.50% to 8.05%
Why Uttar Pradesh Performed Better
Sugar mill owners said the sharp improvement in UP is not just a seasonal change but the result of long-term structural improvements. Key reasons include:
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Better selection of sugarcane varieties
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Higher sucrose content in cane
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More disciplined and timely harvesting
“These factors helped improve extraction efficiency significantly,” said a sugar miller.
Officials from the cane development department added that stable weather conditions during both the growing and crushing periods helped sucrose accumulation in cane. In contrast, erratic weather in Karnataka may have affected cane quality.
They also pointed to:
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Upgraded milling technology
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Better cane preparation
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Reduced delays in crushing
as contributors to higher recovery levels.
Higher Sugar Output Despite Lower Cane Crushing
The improved recovery has already boosted sugar production in UP from 42.85 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) to 45.70 LMT as of January 15.
For the full 2025–26 season, sugar production in the state is expected to reach 105 LMT, nearly 13 LMT higher than the 92.75 LMT produced in 2024–25.
In Maharashtra, production is projected to rise from 80.95 LMT to 110 LMT.
This growth comes even as cane crushing in UP has declined, from 473.48 LMT last season to 466.33 LMT this year.
What This Means for Sugar Mills and Farmers
Producing more sugar from less cane improves profit margins for mills, which could ease liquidity pressure and help ensure faster payments to farmers—a long-standing economic and political issue in Uttar Pradesh.
Overall, the data highlights UP’s growing efficiency in sugar production and its strengthening position in the country’s sugar industry.
