Maharashtra completed 2020/2021 crushing season
Maharashtra’s 2020-21 sugar season has come to an end, with the state producing 10,63 mln tonnes of sugar after crushing 101,2 mln tonnes of cane with a sugar recovery of 10.50%, officials of the Maharashtra Sugar Commissionerate said.
It is reported by Financial Express.
Sugar commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said sugarcane was cultivated on 1,142 mln hectares for the 2020-21 season, compared to 822 ths hectares in 2019-20. The planting area for the 2021-22 season is yet to be assessed, he said. According to rough estimates, the state may see cane cultivation on at least 1,2 mln hectares, he said, adding that farmers are shifting from other crops to sugarcane because of guaranteed income.
The commissioner said sugar stocks with the mills could be in the range of 5 mln tonnes. This year, around 1 mln tonnes of sugar was diverted towards ethanol and the target is to divert 1,5 mln tonnes in the next season, he said.