Revision as of 22:28, 27 November 2018

Cultivation

2013- 2016: decline in Karnataka

H.S. NARASIMHA KUMAR, Sugarcane cultivation sees major decline, March 14, 2017: The Hindu

Growers discouraged by government’s failure to get them remunerative prices

The Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association has said that there has been a substantial decline in sugarcane cultivation in Karnataka. It noted that in 2013, sugarcane was grown across 9.5 lakh hectares, while in 2016, it was grown across just three lakh hectares in the State.

If the government failed to encourage cane growers by giving them interest free loans and through scientific pricing, they would stop cultivating the crop and sugar factories may have to be shut, it stated.

Kuruburu Shanthkumar, president of the association, told reporters here on Monday that even the number of farmers cultivating sugarcane had reduced considerably in the State. He said that cane growers were discouraged by the failure of the government to get them remunerative prices. The government would get a tax of Rs. 3,000 per tonne sugarcane and the sudden fall in production had resulted in heavy losses to the State exchequer, he said.

The FRP (Fair and Remunerative price) which was fixed at Rs. 2,200 per tonne in 2014-15 has not been enhanced for three years though prices of sugar had touched Rs. 50 per kg, Mr. Shanthkumar said adding that farmers were incurring couple of hundred rupees losses for each tonne of cane that they had grown instead of earning the same in profits.

The association has urged the Union government to implement the recommendation of the M.S. Swaminathan committee forthwith. He urged the State government to give crop loss compensation of Rs. 25, 000 per acre to farmers who have incurred crop loss owing to drought in the State in the past two years.

Mr. Shanthkumar also urged the government to waive off all farm loans to prevent farmers resorting to drastic measures. He said that it was high time the government realised that the farmers were made to incur losses in the absence of a system to get remunerative prices for agriculture produce.

Prices

2016> 2017

Retail sugar prices in Jan 2016 and Jan 2017; The Times of India, Jan 22, 2017

See graphic:

Retail sugar prices in Jan 2016 and Jan 2017

Production

1993-2018

Dipak Dash, India set to beat Brazil in sugar output after 15 yrs, November 22, 2018: The Times of India

Sugar production in India (and Brazil): 1993-2018
From: Dipak Dash, India set to beat Brazil in sugar output after 15 yrs, November 22, 2018: The Times of India

India is set to push Brazil to second position in sugar production during 2018-19 after 15 years. India’s sweetener production is estimated to touch 35.9 million tonnes (MTs), registering an increase of about 5.2% over last year, according to the latest report of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The report by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service wing released on Tuesday has estimated Brazil’s sugar production to dip by 8.3 MTs and bringing its total production to 30.6 MTs during this sugar year.

It says the 21% drop in sugar manufacturing is primarily “due to lower sugarcane yields and more sugarcane being diverted towards ethanol production as record global sugar supplies have led to weak prices”.

The global production of the sweetener is also estimated to tumble to nearly 185.9 MTs, which is about nine million tonnes less than last year, mainly attributed to Brazil cutting down its sugar manufacturing.

Attributing that the higher area and yields in India would boost the production of sugar in the country , the report said consumption is also forecast at a record 27.5 MTs due to a growing population and strong demand from food processors.

See also

Farmers, cultivators and their issues