India's gross sugar production is estimated to decline 2 per cent to 333 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 marketing year starting October, according to industry body ISMA.
Indian Sugar Mills & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) on Tuesday released the preliminary estimates of sugar production for 2024-25 marketing year (October-September).
The estimate was released after comprehensive analysis of satellite imagery, field reports on expected yields, sugar recovery rates, drawal percentage, the impact of rainfall from previous and current years, water availability in reservoirs, and anticipated rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon 2024.
In its forecast, the association has pegged the country's gross sugar production (without diversion for ethanol) at 333.10 lakh tonnes for 2024-25, from an estimated 339.95 lakh tonnes in the current 2023-24 marketing year.
Net sugar production is estimated at 319.65 lakh tonnes for the current marketing year, taking into account 20.30 lakh tonnes diversion for ethanol making.
ISMA has projected an opening stock of 90.5 lakh tonnes as on October 1, 2024, while the gross production during 2024-25 (without diversion for ethanol) has been pegged at 333 lakh tonnes. So, the total availability of sugar would be 423.5 lakh tonnes in 2024-25.
The domestic consumption is likely to be 290 lakh tonnes in the next marketing year, leading the closing stock to 133.5 lakh tonnes as on September 30, 2025.
The normative stock for two and half months has been kept at 55 lakh tonnes. Therefore, the excess stock over and above normative stock is 78.5 lakh tonnes.
"... The excess stock of sugar will be sufficient to support both the unhindered Ethanol Blending Program in 2024-25 season and also exports in the current season leading to a balanced sugar market," ISMA said.
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