According to Jayprakash Dandegavkar, president of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF), Maharashtra's sugarcane production could increase by at least 237 lakh tonnes this year, and sugar factories in the state may have to work an extra half-month to crush the crop.
The federation's forecast was based on water availability and the monsoon forecast for this year, the official said, adding that production in Marathwada and western Maharashtra is projected to increase this year.
"In Maharashtra, 100 cooperative and 92 private sugar plants crushed 1,012 lakh tonnes last year. Sugarcane cultivation across the state will benefit from the availability of water in various dams and on the ground. We estimate that manufacturers will have to crush roughly 1,250 million tonnes of sugarcane this year, "Dandegavkar explained.
He did say, though, that sugar production will be roughly the same as last year.
"Last year, Maharashtra produced 106.3 lakh tonnes of sugar, and this year we estimate 110 lakh tonnes. This is due to an increase in the usage of sugarcane in ethanol manufacturing in the state. Maharashtra's sugar factories have generated 28.50 crore litres of ethanol so far this year, with a goal of 59.61 crore litres by October 2021 "he stated.
The NFCSF chief went on to say that this year, factories will have to run for longer periods of time. Last year, factories took 140 days to crush 1,012 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, but this year, due to increased production, it may take 15 days longer, according to Dandegavkar, who added that this may cause some unrest among farmers till their sugarcane is delivered to the factory.
The old stock in the state will last until March 2022, and new supply will begin arriving in October, according to the official.
