Sugar production has increased 5 per cent to 82.1 lakh tonnes between October 1 and December 15 period of this marketing year, while mills have contracted to export 45-50 lakh tonnes of sweetener, industry body ISMA said on Monday.

Sugar marketing year runs from October to September.

 The production of sugar stood at 77.9 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the 2021-22 marketing year.

 “As per port information and market reports, about 45-50 lakh tonnes of contracts for export of sugar have already been entered into so far. Out of that, about 6 lakh tonnes of sugar have been physically exported out of the country up to 30th November,” Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said in a statement.

 Market reports suggest that another 8-9 lakh tonnes of sugar is in pipeline to be exported in December, thereby total exports by the end of this month could be around 15 lakh tonnes.

 India exported a record 111 lakh tonnes of sugar in 2021-22 marketing year.

 In November, the government allowed export of 60 lakh tonnes of sugar in the current (2022-23) marketing

year.

 As per the data, sugar production in Uttar Pradesh between October 1 and december 15 of the current marketing year rose to 20.3 lakh tonnes from 19.8 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period. In Maharashtra, sugar output has increased so far to 33 lakh tonnes from 31.9 lakh tonnes, while the production in Karnataka has risen to 18.9 lakh tonnes from 18.4 lakh tonnes.

 India’s total sugar production is expected to be the highest ever at 410 lakh tonnes (before diversion for ethanol) in the 2022-23 marketing year. Sugar diversion towards production of ethanol is estimated to be at 45 lakh tonnes in the current marketing year.

Hence, the net sugar production after factoring in the diversion is expected to be at 365 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 marketing year.