AgenciesNew Delhi: Sugar output in India, the largest producer in the world after Brazil, may dip further from the government estimate to 16 million tonnes this season, prompting the country to import projected 1.5 million tonnes.
"According to the latest estimate, sugar production is pegged at 16 million tonnes," Indian Sugar Mills Association Director General SL Jain told PTI after a meeting of the private sector mill owners here on Friday.
Earlier this week, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the country might produce 16.5 million tonnes of the sweetener this season, starting October 2008, down from about 26.4 million tonnes in 2007-08.
The meeting, which took stock of the current sugar scenario in the country, attributed the 39 per cent slump in production to less cane crop and lower recovery. Recovery refers to the rate of sugar production out of cane.
According to the latest government estimate, sugarcane production may go down significantly to 290.45 million tonnes this season from 348.19 million tonnes last year. ISMA has projected a raw sugar import of up to 1.5 million tonnes to bridge the supply-demand mismatch in the country this year. India needs 22.5 million tonnes for its annual domestic consumption.
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