Lok Sabha Question No. 2710 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Sugar Production
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: GEETHA KOTHAPALLI, RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2710

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th   MAY, 2016

## SUGAR PRODUCTION

2710. SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA: SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  production  of  sugar  has  declined  during  the  current financial year, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor indicating the total production during each of last three years, State-wise;
- whether measures are proposed to be taken to remove the shortage
- (b) of sugar in the market and to stabilise its prices;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by Government to check the blackmarketing of sugar;
- the
- whether  the  production  of  sugarcane  has  declined  in  Maharashtra
- (d) which has affected the sugar industry; and
- (e) the  details  thereof  and  corrective  steps  being  taken  in  this  regard including payment of compensation to the farmers?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

(a): The data on sugar production is maintained sugar season-wise which starts from 1 st   October and ends on 30 th  September of next year. During the current sugar season 2015-16 (October-September), the production of sugar  has  been  estimated  to  be  about  252  Lac  Tons  which  is  less  as compared  to  last  sugar  season's  production  of  284.63  Lac  Tons.  The decline  in  sugar  production  is  mainly  due  to  less  sugarcane  production and its availability to sugar mills for crushing in the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. The State-wise, sugar production during last three sugar seasons is at Annexure.

(b)&(c): With the carry over stock of 90 Lac Tons and estimated production of about 252 Lac Tons, the total availability of sugar would be more than estimated domestic demand of about 256 Lac Tons. As such, there is no shortage  of  sugar  in  the  country.  In  recent  past,  certain  quarters  were indulging in speculative activities and holding their stock in anticipation of price  rise.    In  order  to  stablise  prices,  the  Central  Government  vide Notification  dated  29 th   April,  2016  imposed  stock  holding  and  turn  over limits on sugar traders. The Government is also inter-alia closely monitoring  prices  of  sugar  in  the  domestic  market  as  well  as  sales  by sugar mills.

(d)&(e):  Yes,  Madam.  As  per  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Cooperation, the  area,  yield  and  production  of  sugarcane  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra has  reduced  during  current  sugar  season  2015-16  as  compared  to  last season 2014-15 due to drought situation. This affected sugarcane availability  to  sugar  mills  for  crushing.  As  such,  741.67  Lac  Tons  of sugarcane  was  available  for  crushing  during  current  season  2015-16  as against 930.41 Lac Tons in last season. The Central Government provides assistance for development of sugarcane under various activities namely, Tissue  Culture  Seedlings,  Breeder  Seed  Production,  demonstration  on intercropping and single bud chip technology, etc. There is no proposal for payment of compensation to the farmers.

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## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXTURE REFERRED TO REPLY TO PART (a) OF THE UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2710 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 10.05.2016 IN THE LOK SABHA

## State-wise sugar production during last three sugar seasons i.e. 2012-13 to 2014-15

(Figures in Lac Tons)

| STATE          | 2012-13   |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |
|----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Andhra Pradesh | 9.84      |      6.75 |      5.65 |
| Bihar          | 5.10      |      5.96 |      5.26 |
| Chhattisgarh   | 0.49      |      0.68 |      0.65 |
| Goa            | 0.10      |      0.12 |      0.11 |
| Gujarat        | 11.30     |     11.78 |     11.46 |
| Haryana        | 5.10      |      5.37 |      5.73 |
| Karnataka      | 34.43     |     41.6  |     49.89 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 2.08      |      3.51 |      4.08 |
| Maharashtra    | 79.87     |     77.2  |    105.15 |
| Orissa         | 0.64      |      0.6  |      0.43 |
| Pondicherry    | 0.53      |      0.52 |      0.32 |
| Punjab         | 4.38      |      4.73 |      5.36 |
| Rajasthan      | 0.04      |      0.05 |      0.07 |
| Tamil Nadu     | 19.32     |     14.18 |     12.56 |
| Telangana      |           |      3.32 |      3.21 |
| Uttarakhand    | 3.40      |      2.98 |      3.28 |
| Uttar Pradesh  | 75.01     |     66.13 |     71.38 |
| West Bengal    | 0.20      |      0.06 |      0.05 |
| All India      | 251.83    |    245.54 |    284.63 |

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