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0.2m tonnes surplus sugar may be available for export this year

AMER SIAL

ISLAMABAD: The country may have an exportable surplus of 0.2 million tonnes of sugar taking in account the carry-over stock of 0.15 million tonnes from last year, sources said here on Saturday.

The sources said domestic sugar production this year is estimated at three million tonnes against 3.5 million tonnes of corresponding year, while the domestic consumption of sugar is estimated at 2.9 million tonnes.

Informed sources attributed this downfall due to decrease in the sugarcane acreage as in 1998-99 the production was 55.70 million tonnes from 2.882 million acres, while this year production has fallen to 43.21 million tonnes from 2.505 million acres.

An expert identified two reasons for the shortfall in sugar production. Firstly, delay in payment to the growers by millers, as this led to a shrinking of area and, secondly, persistent dry weather and conditions, made worse by Wapda by abolishing flat rate of electricity for tubewells.

However, he rejected reports that the incidence of red rot in Indian variety of sugarcane has led to a downfall in the yield, as in his opinion, this variety has over the years produced superb results.

He said that this variety needs to be improved but its replacement will take a little longer, as it is difficult to develop new varieties of sugarcane in a shorter period.

He estimated that the sugar production this year is not going to rise beyond three million tonnes as according to latest estimates average yield per acre of sugarcane has shown a decline.

He added that despite the decrease in area and adverse weather conditions, the recovery ratio of sugar has remained at the same of level of 8.7 percent like preceding years.

Sources said that the acreage target in Punjab for 1999-2000 period was set at 1.606 million acres, while sugarcane production target was set at 33.3 million tonnes. However, recorded acreage is 1.680 million acres with production at 24.14 million tonnes. Estimated yield maunds per acre of sugarcane for Punjab was set at 550 maunds per acre, while the gained is estimated at 400. However, it was recorded at 464 maunds last year.

During the same period, target area for Sindh was set at 0.618 million acres with production target projected at 17.05 million tonnes. However, the production gained is estimated at 14.26 from 0.570 million acres. Sindh gained 600 maunds per acre yield of sugarcane against a target of 730 maunds per acre, while last year the gain was 672 maunds per acre.

NWFP produced four million tonnes of sugarcane from an area of 0.257 million acres. However, the target area was projected at 0.247 million acres to produce five million tonnes. Target yield for NWFP was set at 560 maunds per acre, however, gained was recorded at 488 maunds per acre, last year the recorded yield was also the same, said sources.