India's sugar output may rebound to 24.0m tonnes
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
DUBAI, Feb 8 (Bloomberg): India, the biggest sugar consumer, may produce as much as 23 million to 24 million tonnes in the 2010-11 season, as farmers increase planting to benefit from record prices, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association.
Production may total 22 million tonnes on a "conservative basis," MN Rao, deputy director general of the association, said in an interview at an industry conference in Dubai Monday.
Output this season may be 15.5 million tonnes to 16 million tonnes, he said, reiterating a previous forecast by the New Delhi- based association. Production won't fall below last year's 14.7 million tonnes, he said.
Maharashtra state, the biggest producer, will produce 5.1 million tonnes as sucrose recovery improves, and output in the southern Karnataka state will exceed 2 million tonnes, compared with 1.7 million tonnes, he said.
"A major portion of the plant crop is yet to be crushed, and there the recovery tends to be higher," he said. Output in the 2009-10 season that started Oct. 1 "is lower so far but improved recovery in Karnataka and Maharashtra and will ensure production picks up in the coming months."
Production may total 22 million tonnes on a "conservative basis," MN Rao, deputy director general of the association, said in an interview at an industry conference in Dubai Monday.
Output this season may be 15.5 million tonnes to 16 million tonnes, he said, reiterating a previous forecast by the New Delhi- based association. Production won't fall below last year's 14.7 million tonnes, he said.
Maharashtra state, the biggest producer, will produce 5.1 million tonnes as sucrose recovery improves, and output in the southern Karnataka state will exceed 2 million tonnes, compared with 1.7 million tonnes, he said.
"A major portion of the plant crop is yet to be crushed, and there the recovery tends to be higher," he said. Output in the 2009-10 season that started Oct. 1 "is lower so far but improved recovery in Karnataka and Maharashtra and will ensure production picks up in the coming months."