
Sugar mills will begin crushing cane 10-15 days ahead of the usual October schedule for the 2026-27 season, after commitments from ISMA and NFCSF at a meeting with the government. The move…
Sugar mills will begin crushing cane 10-15 days ahead of the usual October schedule for the 2026-27 season, after commitments from ISMA and NFCSF at a meeting with the government. The move aims to bring fresh sugar to the market before the festival season. The associations have sought compensation for lower recovery and cane yields, or support through an extra October-linked sale quota or a CGST waiver.
The Hindu reports that India has adequate stocks, while BusinessLine reports concerns over low availability and possible imports. ISMA and NFCSF said average sugar realisation was Rs 40-40.50 a kg through July, below the roughly Rs 42 production cost. The government has also capped dealer stocks at 400 tonnes until November 30.
Claims of an imminent sugar shortage and claims that there is no supply problem are both too sweeping. Industry bodies have a reason to stress adequate stocks, while the government’s stock checks and dealer limits show that availability is being watched closely. Early crushing may help festival supplies, but taxpayers should not automatically absorb every mill loss. The useful test is simple: whether retail prices and stocks stay stable through November without repeated emergency measures.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, thehindubusinessline.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.