Will UP have record sugar production next year?
sugar production in Uttar Pradesh It was set to cross 105,000 tons (L) as the sugarcane area increased in the state. However, mill owners are concerned about the impact of climate change, as heavy unseasonal rains in October could have a negative impact on crops as they did last year.
Uttar Pradesh produced 105.40 liters of sugar this season (October-September), which is the highest production rate among all states, but slightly above. Maharashtra105.30 liters.
“It looks like the (sugar cane) crop will be good as indicated by the growth of the plant so far. Let us hope to see continued rains in good time at regular intervals. Last year, there was scant rain in the first half of the monsoon season and an excess in the later parts This has damaged crops in some parts.”I hope there will be no excessive rains this year,” said Aditya Jonghunwala, president of the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA).
According to the latest sowing data, Uttar Pradesh witnessed the highest increase in area under sugarcane among all states with an area of 27.51 thousand hectares (lh) till July 7, compared to 23.60 lt in the period last year. While sugarcane sown in Maharashtra fell to 10.54 liters from 12.11 litres. The cropped area in India was 54.40 liters compared to 52.92 liters last year.
In the 2022-23 season, the area under sugarcane was 28.53 liters in UP, according to state government data. Mills attributed the rise in acreage and lower production to the effect of rainfall, first a deficit and then an increase. When UP had a record 120.48 liters of sugar in the 2017-18 season, the acreage was 21.60 acres, according to union Agricultural Department data, though the state government estimated the region was 28 liters higher that year.
“In our command district, there is an increase of 9-10 percent in area,” said the head of the sugar mill in Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh. The state government assigns each sugar mill a geographic area, obligating them to buy what the sugarcane farmers want to sell at the price set by the state. He said the area under the sugar cane could have been more if farmers had followed the advice of the district authority not to sow rice before June 20.
While the recovery of cane juice in UP was 11.5 per cent higher as against 11.2 per cent in Maharashtra in 2021-22, sugar production for acreage is lower as compared to Maharashtra. Much of the sugarcane in UP is also converted to produce jaggery/gur and alcohol.
Another problem UP has been struggling with is replacing the current popular cultivar CO-0238, which has lagged behind in experiencing pest attacks due to extreme coverage over the past few years. “I will switch to other varieties after analyzing the crop for a few years as some other farmers have started planting alternative varieties of CO-0238,” said Ramesh Malik, a sugarcane farmer in Shamli.