ISMA lowers 2022-23 sugar output and ethanol diversion estimates

Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has not only lowered the country’s sugar production estimate to 32.8 million tonnes in the current marketing year that will end in September from the earlier projected 34 million tonnes but at the same time it now expects 4 million tonnes of sugar to get diverted towards ethanol as against the earlier estimated 4.5 million tonnes.

The downward revision has been made due to a fall in sugar output in Maharashtra to 10.5 million tonnes in the 2022-23 marketing year (October-September), from an earlier projection of 12.1 million tonnes.

However, several industry players said despite fall in sugar production, ethanol diversion will be steady at 4.5 million tonnes as against 3.6 million tonnes in 2021-22 (October to September)