Sugar mills in India close early as rain affects sugarcane supply

The western state of Maharashtra, which accounts for more than a third of the country's sugar production, could produce 12.8 million tonnes of sugar in 2022/23 starting on October 1, down from previous forecasts. that's 13.8 million tons. Shekhar Gaikwad, Road Commissioner of Maharashtra said. Lower sugar production could prevent India from allowing more sugar exports, leading to a reduction in global price support and an opportunity for rivals Brazil and Thailand to increase exports. India - the world's second largest sugar exporter - has only allowed sugar mills to export 6.1 million tonnes of sweetener in the current crop year. Among them, factories have signed contracts to export up to 5.7 million tons (accounting for 93.4% of the quota). Gaikwad said: "Too much rain has reduced the growth of sugarcane. This year the sugarcane is lower to be able to squeeze." Some factories in the central region of the state could start shutting down after 15 days, he said. By the end of ...