India's sugar production may fall to 32.8 million tonnes: Trade body

By Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI (Reuters) - India is expected to produce 32.8 million tonnes of sugar in the 2022-2023 marketing year, down 3.5% from the previous forecast, as cane production in major producing states fell due to erratic weather conditions, a top trade body said on Wednesday. Lower sugar output could limit shipments from the world's second-biggest exporter, pushing up global prices and allowing rivals Brazil and Thailand to increase their exports. “The rains were erratic. The sugarcane crop didn't get much rain during the growing season and it fell too much when it wasn't needed,” said Aditya Jhunjhunwala, president of the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA). In January, the trade body expected India to produce 34 million tonnes in the current season, which ended Sept. 30, after harvesting a record 35.8 million tonnes in the previous season. At the beginning of the season, in October 2022, ISMA's projection was for a production of 36.5 million tons. Reuters was the ...