ANI
22 Jan 2023, 18:03 GMT+10
New Delhi [India], January 22 (ANI): India produced record sugarcane to the tune of over 5,000 lakh tonne during the 2021-22 season, the Ministry of food and public distribution said in a release.
Of the total produced during the period, about 3,574 lakh tonne of sugarcane was crushed by sugar mills to produce about 394 LMT of sugar (sucrose) -- of which 36 LMT sugar was diverted to ethanol production and 359 LMT sugar was produced by sugar mills, the ministry said.
The year 2021-22 has proven to be a watershed season for the Indian sugar sector. All records of sugarcane production, sugar production, sugar exports, cane procured, cane dues paid and ethanol production was made during the season.
India is now the world's largest producer and consumer of sugar and the second-largest exporter of sugar after Brazil.
In every sugar season, the production of sugar is around 320-360 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) as against the domestic consumption of 260-280 LMT which results in a huge carry-over stock of sugar with mills.
"Due to excess availability of sugar in the country, the ex-mill prices of sugar remain subdued resulting in cash loss to sugar mills. This excess stock of about 60-80 LMT also leads to blockage of fundsaffects the liquidity of sugar mills resulting in accumulation of cane price arrears," the ministry said in a release.
With a view to preventing cash loss to sugar mills caused due to subdued sugar prices, the government in June 2018 introduced the concept of Minimum Selling Price (MSP) of sugar and fixed the MSP of sugar at Rs 29 per kg which was subsequently revised to Rs 31 per kg in February 2019.
The release said the timely intervention of the central government over the last five years has been crucial in building the sugar sector step-by-step from taking them out of financial distress.
Among the interventions, as a long-term measure to enable the sugar sector to grow as self-sufficient, the central government has been encouraging sugar mills to divert sugar to ethanol production and also to export surplus sugar so that sugar mills may make payment of cane dues to farmers in time and also mills may have better financial conditions to continue their operations.
"With success in both the measures, the sugar sector is now self-sufficient with no subsidy for the sector since SS (sugar season) 2021-22," it said.
During 2021-22, revenue of more than Rs 20,000 crore has been made by sugar mills or distilleries from the sale of ethanol, which has also played its role in the early clearance of cane dues of farmers.
"Another shining highlight of the season is the highest exports of about 110 LMT that too with no financial assistance, which was being extended upto 2020-21. Supportive international prices and Indian Government Policy led to this feat of the Indian sugar industry," it added. (ANI)
Get a daily dose of South America Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to South America Times.
More InformationMACAU CITY, Macau: Over the Lunar New Year holiday, Macau, the world's largest gambling hub, witnessed a resurgence of tourists ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Republican US Senator Josh Hawley has said that he plans to introduce a bill to ban the use ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: This week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed significant limits on levels of lead in processed ...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Finland and Sweden are prepared to join the NATO alliance, the U.S. State Department announced this week.The move ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The US Justice Department has filed an antitrust complaint claiming that Google is abusing its dominance in digital ...
Public health experts have welcomed Mexico's ban on cigarette smoking in all public places, including hotels and beaches, after the ...
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - As Indonesia assumes the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for 2023, pressure ...
TIJUANA, Mexico - Hours before sunrise, migrants at one of Mexico's largest shelters wake up and go online, hoping to ...
The U.S. and Colombian men's national teams played to a 0-0 tie in a friendly at Carson, Calif., on Saturday. ...
Olivier Nkamhoua poured in a career-high 27 points and Zakai Zeigler added 22 points and 10 assists as No. 4 ...
Lima, Peru - Peru's embattled president Dina Boluarte on Saturday urged lawmakers to find a way out of a deepening ...
Rourkela (Odisha) [India], January 28 (ANI): Malaysia, France and Argentina registered wins in their respective classification matches in the ongoing ...