Uttar Pradesh sugar production stood at 62.6 LT in 2013-14 sugar season

The sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh state have produced 62.6 lakh tonnes (LT) of sugar between October 1 to April 15 in the 2013-14 sugar season, as per report compiled by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA). This is almost 10 LT less than the 72.9 LT of sugar produced at the same time last year.  The mills have crushed 676 LT of sugarcane up to April 15, 2014 and have got an average sugar recovery of 9.26% during the current season, as compared to 793 LT of sugarcane crushed last year at an average recovery rate of 9.18%.  The main reason for lower sugar production this year in the state is the fact that the sugar mills started crushing slightly late because of the uncertainty on the sugarcane pricing, lower sugarcane yields and slightly higher diversion of sugarcane into Gur manufacturing.  As compared to 56 mills which were crushing sugarcane last year on April 15, only 45 sugar mills are operating as on April 15, 2014.