Indian sugar production has reached 188 lakh tons by end Feb'13 which is a tad below last year's output by 0.31%. According to the Indian Sugar Mills Association estimates about 246 lakh tons was produced for the sugar season 2012-13. Indian sugar production is poised to increase to 29.8 million metric tons in the next year due to an expected increase in sugarcane production. With a surplus sugar production and strong export demand for 2012/13, India will continue to be a net exporter of sugar for the second consecutive year, with exports likely to reach as much as 2.5 million tons. Continued strong demand from bulk consumers will push sugar consumption to 26.5 million tons.
Sugar production had for a third consecutive year strong growth in 2012/13 after moving through a downward cycle in 2008/09 and 2009/10. India's total centrifugal sugar production in 2012/13 was 29.75 million metric tons, which includes 435,000 tons of Khandsari sugar. In 2012/13 gur production was higher at 4.4 million tons due to firm prices. Sugar production till March-end of the current 2012-13 sugar year is down 2 per cent at 23.05 million tonne, the Indian Sugar Mills Association said. In the corresponding last year, sugar output stood at 23.45 million tonnes. Average recovery or the amount of sugar produced from the cane crushed stood at 10.09 per cent during the current season, about 0.2 per cent lower than last year.
Maharashtra has produced 7.7 million tonnes of sugar, about 4 per cent lower than last year. In Uttar Pradesh, sugar output stood at 6.75 million tonnes, marginally higher than corresponding last year's 6.67 million tonnes. Karnataka has produced 3.29 million tonnes of sugar till March 2013, about 7 per cent lower than last year. Tamil Nadu's sugar output is down 3 per cent at 1.35 mt. ISMA has estimated that sugar output is 24.6 million tonnes for the 2012-13 season, marginally lower than 26 mt produced in the previous year.
INDIAN SUGAR INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE IN 2012 - 2013 
