Sugar production estimate revised upward to 25 mn tons this yr

New Delhi, Mar 11. Sugar production is likely to increase to 25 million tonnes (MT) in the 2012-13 marketing year from the earlier estimate of 24.5 MT on better output in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. However, the production this year is expected to be lower than last year's level of 26 MT. "Sugar output is now expected to be 25 million tonnes this year. Much of the increase is coming from top two growing states Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra," Food Minister K V Thomas told reporters here today. Sugar industry has pegged output at 24.3 MT for the 2012-13 marketing (October-September) year. But industry has said it will revise the estimates soon, he added. Thomas said that domestic production would be sufficient to meet the demand, which is around 22-23 MT. According to data maintained by Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), mills have produced 8.8 MT of sugar in the first five months of the 2012-13 marketing year. Till last month, 50 mills in Maharashtra and Karnataka had closed crushing operations for this year.