Kolhapur: A sharp mismatch between rising crushing capacity and a decline in sugarcane cultivation has shortened the sugar season in Maharashtra to nearly 100 days, down from a peak of 167 days in 2021-22, creating fresh concerns for the state’s sugar industry.
Over the last decade, the number of sugar mills and their daily crushing capacity have increased significantly. In 2015-16, 178 mills in the state had a combined crushing capacity of 6.85 lakh tonnes per day. By the 2025-26 season, the number of mills had risen to 208, including 99 cooperative and 101 private units, and total daily capacity had climbed to 10.45 lakh tonnes.
However, during the same period, the area under sugarcane cultivation has declined. After reaching 14.88 lakh hectares in 2021-22, the cane area has fallen to 13.73 lakh hectares in the 2025-26 season. The gap between rising crushing capacity and shrinking cane area has directly affected the length of the crushing season.
In the past, the average sugar season lasted between 145 and 150 days. In 2024-25, it was limited to around 100 to 102 days. Industry observers say that while mills have expanded their capacity by more than 50 percent in ten years, the expected growth in sugarcane cultivation has not materialised.
As a result, many mills are struggling to operate at full capacity. Except for around eight to ten mills, most have not been able to run fully this season, affecting their financial position. Industry representatives have urged the government to step in and provide support, saying that the rapid increase in crushing capacity has now become a burden rather than an advantage.
Data from the state sugar commissioner’s office show fluctuations in sugarcane cultivation over the past decade. The cane area stood at 10.54 lakh hectares in 2014-15 and 9.87 lakh hectares in 2015-16. It fell to 6.33 lakh hectares in 2016-17 before rising again to 14.88 lakh hectares in 2021-22. Since then, it has gradually declined to 13.73 lakh hectares in 2024-25.
Sugar production has also seen wide variations. Output was 930.76 lakh metric tonnes in 2014-15 and dropped to 373.13 lakh metric tonnes in 2016-17. It later peaked at 1,322.32 lakh metric tonnes in 2021-22 before falling to 850.1 lakh metric tonnes in 2024-25.
With mills increasing and capacity expanding but cane area declining, the shrinking crushing season has become a serious concern for Maharashtra’s sugar sector.
