India's sugar production reached approximately 8.45 lakh tonnes during October 2026, remaining below the one-million-tonne mark despite the early commencement of sugarcane crushing at several mills across the country. The latest figures indicate that 152 sugar mills had started operations by October 31, as the government encouraged mills to begin crushing early to improve domestic sugar availability during the festive season.
According to data from the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd (NFCSF), the operating mills collectively crushed around 105.43 lakh tonnes of sugarcane and produced 8.45 lakh tonnes of sugar during October. Maharashtra accounted for the majority of early-season activity, with 123 mills operational, representing approximately 81% of the total mills that had commenced crushing.
However, the national average sugar recovery rate declined to 8.01% during October 2026, compared with 8.44% in the corresponding period of the previous sugar season. Sugar recovery indicates the percentage of sugar obtained from processed sugarcane and is an important indicator of mill performance and overall production potential. The decline could raise concerns about India's sugar output as the 2026-27 crushing season progresses, although early-season recovery figures may change as more mills begin operations.
Maharashtra led production with approximately 7.20 lakh tonnes of sugar from 123 operational mills, recording an average recovery of 7.90%. Karnataka reported production of around 80,000 tonnes from seven mills, with a recovery rate of 9.60%. Tamil Nadu produced approximately 40,000 tonnes, while Gujarat reported around 5,000 tonnes.
Uttar Pradesh, India's second-largest sugar-producing state, had three mills operational by October 31, but had not reported significant crushing or sugar production by that date. More mills were expected to begin operations as the season advanced.
The government had urged sugar mills to start crushing from October 15 to ensure early supplies for the festive season. India produced approximately 279.6 lakh tonnes of net sugar during the 2025-26 season.
The latest figures highlight the importance of early crushing in improving market availability, while the lower initial recovery rate will remain an important factor to monitor in assessing India's sugar production outlook for 2026-27.
