Maharashtra to begin crushing operations from Nov 22

PUNE: Maharashtra’s sugar industry will begin the 2019-20 crushing season on November 22, following a decision taken by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in consultation with senior bureaucrats and millers on Monday.

Crushing season has been delayed in the state because it is under President’s Rule and hence there is no committee of ministers which fixes the commencement date of the season every year.

“It was decided to start the season from November 22,” said sugar commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.


The revised estimate of sugar production was also approved at the meeting.

Sugar production is expected to be 5.8 million tonnes this year, against 10.7 million tonnes last year, said Gaikwad.

The estimate is 46% below previous year’s estimate. However, at this stage, there is a wide variation in the estimates of different stakeholders, with a section of traders expecting production to hit 7 million tonnes.

About 80 sugar mills from Uttar Pradesh have already started crushing operations. “Mills from eastern UP may take eight to 10 days to start crushing cane as the fields there are still wet,” said Deepak Guptara, secretary general, Uttar Pradesh Sugar Mills Association.