News Capsule: Pune and Solapur Lead Cane Crushing; Kolhapur Tops Sugar Production in Maharashtra
11-May-2026 04:33 PM
News Capsule: Pune and Solapur Lead Cane Crushing; Kolhapur Tops Sugar Production in Maharashtra
★ During Maharashtra’s ongoing sugar season 2025-26, Pune and Solapur divisions emerged as the leading regions in sugarcane crushing, while Kolhapur division secured the top position in sugar production and recovery.
★ In the nearly 105-day crushing season, around 209 sugar mills across the state crushed about 1,045 lakh tonnes of sugarcane. The average recovery stood at 9.49%, while total sugar production was recorded at nearly 99.18 lakh tonnes.
★ Compared to the 2024-25 season, sugarcane crushing increased by around 192 lakh tonnes this year, while sugar production rose by nearly 18 lakh tonnes.
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Division-wise Performance
Pune Division
★ A total of 32 mills crushed around 222.55 lakh tonnes of sugarcane, making Pune the leading division in cane crushing.
Solapur Division
★ Around 49 mills crushed nearly 222.05 lakh tonnes of sugarcane during the season.
Kolhapur Division
★ Kolhapur ranked third in cane crushing with around 210.46 lakh tonnes, but emerged as the top performer in sugar production.
★ The division recorded the highest recovery rate in the state at 11.02% and produced nearly 23.19 lakh tonnes of sugar, the highest among all divisions.
★ The initial sugar production estimate for the season was around 105 lakh tonnes, while actual production remained close to 99 lakh tonnes, indicating only a marginal shortfall from the target.
★ With crushing capacity continuously increasing across Maharashtra, the industry now faces the challenge of improving sugarcane productivity and extending the crushing season to nearly 150 days in the coming years.