Sugar output up 19 till Jan 15

Sugar output has increased by almost 22 per cent in the three major producing states 8211;Uttar Pradesh,Maharashtra and Karnataka 8212; till January 15 of the 2011-12 marketing year,according to data compiled by Indian Sugar Mills Association.

The association attributed the increase in production in Maharashtra to higher crushing of sugarcane and also better recovery compared with the year-ago period.

While recovery has improved to 10.71 per cent so far in the 2011-12 marketing year as against 10.25 per cent in the corresponding period of previous year,the sugarcane crushing in the state has been higher at 34.6 million tonnes as against 31.5 million tonnes in the review period.

In Uttar Pradesh,the country8217;s second biggest producing state,the output has increased due to early start of crushing operation and less diversion of cane for gur making,it added.

UP mills have crushed 34.7 million tonnes of cane till January 15 of the 2011-12 marketing year against 27.1 million tonnes in the year-ago period.

ISMA,however,pointed out that early crushing in Uttar Pradesh has affected recovery,which has come down to 8.49 per cent from 8.85 per cent in the review period.

As per ISMA estimates,the country is likely to produce 26 million tonnes in the 2011-12 marketing year as against 24.2 million tonnes in the previous year. However,the government has pegged the output at 24.5 million tonnes.