Sugar output drops by 13% so far; cane arrears cross Rs 12k cr

New Delhi, Feb 18. The country's sugar output fell over 13 per cent to 14.37 million tonnes so far this year on delayed crushing while sugarcane arrears have crossed Rs 12,000 crore till date, industry body Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said today. Mills had manufactured 16.58 million tonnes of sugar in the corresponding period of the 2012-13 marketing year (October-September), it said in a statement. According to ISMA, sugar output in Maharashtra has reached 4.98 million tonnes while in Uttar Pradesh it declined 18 per cent to 3.57 million tonnes and by four per cent to 2.7 million tonnes in Karnataka so far this year. Sugar recovery in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh -- the country's top two sugar producing states -- was at 10.96 per cent and 8.91 per cent, respectively. Mills have produced 7,50,000 tonnes of sugar in Gujarat, 6,60,000 tonnes in Andhra Pradesh and 4,50,000 tonnes in Tamil Nadu till February 15 of the ongoing 2013-14 marketing year, it said in a statement. ISMA said the total raw sugar production has reached 8,00,000 tonnes till January this year, while mills are aiming to manufacture additional 10,00,000 tonnes in the remaining months of the current marketing year. On sugarcane arrears, the industry body said total cane payment dues of farmers have crossed Rs 12,000 crore, of which Rs 8,000 crore pertains to Uttar Pradesh and Rs 3,000 crore for Karnataka alone as on date, it said in a statement. On exports, ISMA said about 8,50,000 tonnes of sugar has been sold in the overseas market till January of this year. Of this, 4,50,000 tonnes was raw sugar and the rest refined. "Another 1.2 to 2 lakh tonnes, mostly raw sugar, are in transit for getting exported," it added. The country had sugar stock of 11.7 million tonnes till January this year. ISMA, which has pegged sugar output at 25 million tonnes for this year, said it will soon review the estimate figures.