India’s sugar industry recorded 1.285 million tonnes by Nov. 5, about four times the year-earlier level, as more mills started crushing during the 2026-27 season.
Business Standard and BusinessToday reported the season-to-date total, attributing it to the Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA). The reports put output at 320,000 tonnes on Nov. 5, 2025, and said 184 mills had begun crushing this season, compared with 154 a year earlier.
Maharashtra accounted for 1.078 million tonnes, with 136 mills operating by Nov. 5, according to Business Standard. At the same point in 2025, the state had 101 mills operating and output had reached 123,000 tonnes.
In western and central Uttar Pradesh, 19 mills had started crushing and produced 20,000 tonnes. Seven factories continuing from Karnataka’s special season recorded 90,000 tonnes, while seven factories in Tamil Nadu produced 64,000 tonnes. Gujarat had 12 mills operating and Telangana had three.
The pace had already picked up in late October. EconoTimes’ earlier report on mills processing cane for the new season said 107 mills had begun processing by Oct. 26 and cited ISMA’s report of about 400,000 tonnes produced as of Oct. 25, up from about 60,000 tonnes on the same date in 2025.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said Aug. 21 that it had advised states and mills to begin crushing from Oct. 15 to improve festive-season availability. The ministry forecast at the time that October production could exceed 1 million tonnes; the current figure covers the season through Nov. 5.
ISMA cited about 3.6 million tonnes of carryover stocks from the previous season. ISMA Director-General Deepak Ballani told BusinessToday that carryover stocks and rising output should cover domestic demand.
ISMA linked the early total to Maharashtra’s head start and staggered mill openings elsewhere. It expects more factories in western Uttar Pradesh to begin in the coming days, central Uttar Pradesh mills to start after Diwali, and Karnataka’s main-season crushing to begin once farmer-related issues are resolved.
