Sugar output up nearly 3% at 23 million tonne so far this marketing year: ISMA

The country's sugar production rose 2.8 per cent to 22.84 million tonne till February 15 of the ongoing marketing year, according to industry body ISMA.

Sugar production in India, a major producer of the sweetener in the world, stood at 22.22 million tonne in the same period of the previous marketing year.

Sugar marketing year runs from October to September.

According to the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), around 505 mills were in operation in the period under review as against 522 mills earlier.

After diversion for ethanol production, the country's total sugar production was at 22.84 million tonne during the October-February 15 period of the ongoing 2022-23 marketing year, the industry body said in a statement.

Sugar production in Uttar Pradesh rose marginally to 6.12 million tonne from 5.99 million tonne, while in Maharasthra it declined slightly to 8.59 million tonne as against 8.62 million tonne during the period.

Sugar production in Karnataka rose slightly to 4.61 million tonne as against 4.54 lakh tonne.

Other states contributed 3.51 million tonne of sugar during October-February 15 of the ongoing marketing year as against 3.07 million tonne in the year-ago period.

Last month, ISMA had revised downwards its sugar production estimate for 2022-23 to 34 million tonne over its earlier estimate of 36.5 million tonne issued in October 2022.

Sugar production stood at 35.8 million tonne in the 2021-22 marketing year.