Domestic Sugar Production Reaches 271.20 Lakh Tonnes
02-Apr-2026 12:59 PM
New Delhi. According to the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories—the apex body of cooperative sugar mills—domestic sugar production rose to 271.20 lakh tonnes during the first half of the current marketing season (October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026).
This figure represents an increase of approximately 9 percent compared to the 248.65 lakh tonnes produced during the corresponding period of the 2024-25 season. According to the Federation, sugar production was running 10 percent ahead of the previous year's pace as of March 15; however,
the overall lead narrowed slightly thereafter due to a slowdown in production momentum in Uttar Pradesh. In Uttar Pradesh, sugar production remained higher than the previous year's levels until mid-March, but by the end of March, it dipped below those levels for the first time.
Sugar production witnessed a robust increase during the October–December 2025 quarter in Uttar Pradesh, driven by an early start to the crushing process, vigorous sugarcane crushing operations, and a high sugar recovery rate from sugarcane.
However, the pace of production began to slow down starting in January 2026. In certain regions of the state, sugarcane yield rates declined by up to 30 percent. Consequently, sugar production in these areas saw a 3 percent decline during January and February, a drop that widened to 13 percent in March.
According to the Federation, by March 31, 2026, a total of 467 sugar mills across the country had ceased operations, with sugarcane crushing continuing in only 74 units. During the period from March 15 to March 31, 100 plants shut down.
In the corresponding period of the previous year, 420 sugar mills had closed, while 113 mills remained operational. Compared to the 2024-25 season, sugar production during the 2025-26 season in Uttar Pradesh declined from 87.70 lakh tonnes to 87.45 lakh tonnes,
whereas in Maharashtra, it surged by 24 percent—from 80.10 lakh tonnes to 98.95 lakh tonnes—and in Karnataka, it rose from 39.90 lakh tonnes to 46.75 lakh tonnes.