Sugar export from Maharashtra hit due to coronavirus lockdown

Nearly 36 lakh tonnes of sugar has been exported from Maharashtra between January and June this year as against the target of 60 lakh tonne during the period, an official said on Monday.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has slowed down the export process, Maharashtra State Cooperative Sugar Factories Federation Chairman Jayprakash Dandegaonkar said.

Nearly 570 lakh tonne sugarcane was crushed by 144 sugar mills in the state from November 2019 to June this year and 63 lakh tonne sugar was produced so far, he said.

"The export of 36 lakh tonne is completed. Various deals have been signed for another six lakh tonne and sugar is being moved out of the godowns for export, Dandegaonkar said.

So far, most of the sugar has been exported to Indonesia and Iran, he informed.

From January to June last year, 952 lakh tonne of sugarcane was crushed to produce 107 lakh tonne sugar, he added.

The sugarcane crushing generally begins from November and goes on till March.