New Delhi (NVI): A significant decline in sugar production has been reported in the current season 2019-20(October-September), mainly due to a fall in the production of sugarcane in major sugar-producing states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The fall in production of sugarcane is due to drought in some parts and heavy rains & floods in some other parts of these states, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ramvilas Paswan, told Rajya Sabha today.
“In the current sugar season of 2019-20, the sugar mills in the country have produced about 213 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) of sugar till March 17, as against 242 LMT in the corresponding period of previous sugar season,” he said.
During the first three months of the current sugar season, the sugar production was about 79 LMT as against 112 LMT achieved during the corresponding period of last sugar season 2018-19, the minister further stated.
In view of sufficient availability of sugar in the country, the sugar prices in the domestic market are stable which helped the sugar mills to clear the cane price dues of farmers at a steady rate, he added.
