India was the world’s top producer of sugar during the just-ended sugar marketing year and was the second largest exporter.
Official data released by the government on Wednesday pegged In dia’s exports during 2021-22 (October-September) sugar season at 1. 1 crore tonnes, 58% higher than the previous year, helping generate forex inflows of around Rs 40,000 crore.
Du ring the year, sugarcane production was estimated at over 50 crore tonnes, with sugar output of 3. 9 crore tonnes, resulting inexports of around 28% of domestic production.
International Su gar Organisation numbers show that India was the largest sugar producer in 2019 as well with output of 2. 97 crore tonnes, compared to Brazil’s2. 92 crore tonnes. For years, Brazil was the world’s top sugar producer with Thailand in second place.
The official numbers suggested India is slowly emerging as one of the largest exporters, at least during years of bumper production. Official data showed that India’ssugar exports increased over 11 times from 6. 2 lakh tonnes in 2017-18 to 70 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 marketing year.
“The season has proven to be a watershed season for the Indian sugar sector. All records of sugarcane production, sugar production, sugarexports, cane procured, cane dues paid and ethanol production were made duri ng the season,” the food department said in a statement. It added that the sugarcane arrears to farmers stood a t only Rs 6 ,000 crore at the end of 2021-22 marketing year as mills have paid Rs 1. 1 lakh crore to farmers out to total payable amount of Rs 1. 2 lakh crore.
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