India's sugar output pegged lower by 3.63% at 4.5 mn tons in 2022-23: AISTA

The country's sugar production is projected to be 34.5 million tonnes in the 2022-23 marketing season, a decline of 3.63 per cent compared to the year-ago period, trade body AISTA said on Friday. The production in India, the world's major producer of the sweetener, stood at 35.8 million tonnes during the 2021-22 marketing season. The season is from October-September.

With an estimated decline in production, AISTA expects exports to be lower around 7 million tonnes this season, compared to 11.2 million tonnes in 2021-22. Releasing the first estimate, All India Sugar Trade Association (AISTA) said: "Indian sugar production during 2022-23 season is closer to be 34.50 million tonnes".

Sugar production in Maharashtra is pegged lower at 12.4 million tonnes in the 2022-23 season against 13.7 million tonnes in the previous season, as cane yields are estimated to be lower by 9-10 tonnes.

Similarly, the output in Karnataka is estimated to be lower at 5.7 million tonnes against 6.2 million tonnes in the said period. This is because several mills in the state have added additional or new distillation capacities for ethanol production and it will impact the final sugar output. However, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh is projected to be slightly higher at 10.5 million tonne in the 2022-23 season compared to 10.2 million tonnes in the previous season.

In Uttar Pradesh, the cane area has marginally increased but yield impact may neutralise the benefits, AISTA added. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are the top three sugar-producing states in the country.

According to AISTA, about 5 million tonnes of sucrose will be utilised for the production of ethanol from B Heavy molasses, sugar syrup and sugarcane juice. Any shift in that will impact the production estimates. With an estimated production of 34.5 million tonnes and an opening stock of 6 million tonnes, the total availability of sugar is pegged lower at 40.5 million tonnes for the 2022-23 season against 44.5 million tonnes in 2021-22.

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