Indian sugar mills produced 1 million tonnes between October 15 and January 14,87 Sugar, down 7% from a year ago, a leading industry association said on Wednesday.
Sugar production in Maharashtra fell from 6,09 million tonnes to 5,1 million tonnes, while production in Karnataka fell 12,7% to 3,1 million tonnes, the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills said in a report Explanation.
Production in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh rose 14,8% to 4,61 million tonnes as mills there started production early, the statement said.
India has decided to allow mills to divert up to 1,7 million tonnes of sugar for ethanol production, government and industry officials said last month, as New Delhi seeks to avoid disruptions in its ambitious Bioreduce fuel program.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi facing elections in a few months, India, which is highly sensitive to food inflation, is likely to ban sugar exports - the first export restriction since 2016.
Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)