Sugar output could dip by 10pc in 2013-14 to 22 mln ton:Thomas

New Delhi, Jun 11. Sugar output in the country is projected to drop by 10 per cent to 22 million tonnes in the 2013-14 marketing year starting October, mainly due to lower sugarcane output in drought-affected states, Food Minister K V Thomas said today. Sugar production in the next year would be just enough to meet the annual demand of 22 million tonnes. But there would not be any problem of sugar supply as the country would have good quantity of carryover stock, he said. Sugar production of India, the world's second largest producer and biggest consumer, in the ongoing 2012-13 marketing year (October-September) is pegged at 24.5 million tonnes and could even reach 25 million tonnes. "As per the Agriculture Ministry's estimate, sugar production is expected to be down by 10 per cent in 2013-14 marketing year," Thomas. The sugar production is estimated lower as sugarcane output is likely to be affected especially in drought-hit Maharashtra and Karnataka, he added. The latest estimate on sugar output is almost in line with those of US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which recently projected an eight per cent fall in India's sugar production at 23.2 million tonnes for 2013-14 marketing year. According to the USDA, sugar production could decline by 26 per cent in Maharasthra to 5.87 million tonnes and 14 per cent in Karanataka at 2.69 million tonnes in 2013-14. On increasing import duty on sugar from the current 10 per cent, Thomas said there has been such a demand from the sugar industry but no decision has yet been taken.