India Sugar Outlook Cut by Mills as Drought Hurts Cane Supply
- Production seen at 20.3 million tons, lowest in 7 years
- ISMA cuts output estimate for second time since September
Workers unload sugarcane tops at a cattle shelter in Beed district, Maharashtra, India.
Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
India’s sugar production may be lower than previously forecast as mills in the main growing areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka closed earlier than usual after dry weather cut cane output.
Production may total 20.3 million metric tons in year that began Oct. 1, compared with 21.3 million tons estimated in January and 23.4 million tons predicted in September, the Indian Sugar Mills Association said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. That would be the lowest since 2009-10 and compares with the government’s estimate of 22.5 million tons. The country produced 25.1 million tons in 2015-16.