AISTA pegs India's 2019-20 sugar production at 27.4 million tonnes

PUNE: All India Sugar Traders Association (AISTA) has estimated India's 2019-20 at 27.4 million tonnes as against 33.2 million tonnes achieved in 2018-19.

AISTA expects a reduction of 1 million tonnes in sugar production due to diversion of cane to production of B-heavy mollases. The estimate of 27.5 million tonnes is excluding the diversion for ethanol production.

The traders' body expects Maharashtra's sugar production to fall by 39%.


"Sugar production of Maharashtra in 2019-30 is expected to be 4.2 million tonnes as against 10.7 million tonnes in 2018-19," said a release from AISTA.

Similarly, sugar production of Karnataka is expected to fall by 22.7% to 3.4 million tonnes due to irratic monsoon.

The drought followed by deluge has taken a toll of the sugarcane crop of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

AISTA believes that the sugar export of India will be 4.5 million tonnes due to lower availability of sugar.