India’s 2026–27 sugar season has begun on schedule, with 107 sugar mills commencing crushing operations across major sugar-producing states, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has said the country has sufficient sugar supplies to meet domestic consumption requirements, including during the ongoing festive season.
According to ISMA, Maharashtra, India’s largest sugar-producing state, has seen nearly 87 mills begin operations. More mills are expected to start crushing in the coming week as sugarcane harvesting gathers pace.
In Uttar Pradesh, two mills have commenced crushing. Operations in western Uttar Pradesh are expected to begin in the next three to four days, followed by central Uttar Pradesh. Mills in eastern Uttar Pradesh will start as sugarcane matures in the region. Across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat, 17 mills have started crushing operations. Other states are expected to follow their respective seasonal schedules.
ISMA said the previous sugar season, 2025–26, ended with approximately 36 lakh tonnes of carryover stocks, providing a buffer for domestic consumption in the current season.
As of October 25, 2026, sugar production in the ongoing season had reached approximately 4 lakh tonnes, compared with around 0.6 lakh tonnes on the corresponding date last year. The timely start of crushing operations reflects preparedness by sugar mills, farmers and state administrations, alongside the progressive availability of sugarcane for processing, the industry body said.
Efforts were being made to start sugar mills around 15 October, ahead of schedule, to ensure adequate sugar availability this year. However, rainfall in northern India in October and drought conditions in Maharashtra and Karnataka are likely to delay the start of operations at most mills until the first week of November or later. Protests by sugarcane farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka could also delay crushing operations.
“No cause for concern”
The government has taken measures to support domestic sugar availability, including extending the duty-free raw sugar import window and introducing stockholding limits.
ISMA said these measures, together with carryover stocks and fresh production, would help ensure adequate supplies for domestic consumption during the festive period.
Deepak Ballani, Director General of ISMA, said the country had more than sufficient sugar to meet domestic requirements and that there was no cause for concern over availability.
“The industry remains fully committed to ensuring steady supplies for consumers and timely cane payments to farmers,” Ballani said. He added that domestic sugar requirements during the festive season were expected to be met comfortably and that prices were expected to remain stable. As more mills begin operations, sugar availability is expected to strengthen further.
ISMA has urged stakeholders to assess the domestic sugar supply situation by considering available stocks, actual consumption requirements, the pace of fresh production and government measures to maintain market availability.
The association said market assessments should be based on verified data and prevailing supply-demand fundamentals rather than speculative projections that might not reflect the evolving situation.