{
  "id": 14537070,
  "title": "Early crushing to shore up sugar supplies before Diwali",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/early-crushing-to-shore-up-sugar-supplies-before-diwali",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-14T20:25:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times - Economy",
    "slug": "the-economic-times-economy",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/early-crushing-to-shore-up-sugar-supplies-before-diwali/articleshow/134951204.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pune: Twenty-five percent of Maharashtra's sugar factories will commence sugarcane crushing this week, ahead of the Diwali holiday. Prices for sugar are climbing due to limited supply, as farmers stage protests for better prices. Sugar prices have increased by around 4% over the past two weeks. With wilting cane in many regions, farmers are anxious about potential crop losses. It takes approximately four to five days for freshly produced sugar to become ready for shipment after crushing operations begin. According to BB Thombare, president of the West Indian Sugar Mills Association, the freshly produced sugar should reach markets around October 20. The central government has urged sugar-producing states to accelerate sugarcane crushing to ensure ample sugar supply during the festive season. For the week starting October 15, the government has set aside a quota of 1.6 million tonnes. However, the sugar market is already tight as mills have limited inventory. Some delays in the mills' operations have been attributed to administrative clearances, as well as farmers' protests. As of Wednesday, roughly ten mills had already started crushing operations, and by the end of the week, an estimated 45 mills are anticipated to begin. A senior state sugar official expects about 80 to 100 sugar mills to receive crushing licenses this week. Preliminary estimates suggest a 10% drop in sugar production for the 2026-27 season compared to last year's production of 9.9 million tonnes. However, the production decline could be greater due to sugarcane being diverted for fodder and jaggery production. Standing cane in many areas of Marathwada is wilting, prompting farmers to hasten the harvesting process, as per Thombare. The Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana from Maharashtra and farmers' organizations from Karnataka have escalated their \"rasta roko\" (road blockade) campaign along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border, demanding higher cane prices, a minimum selling price for sugar, and a higher price of Rs 70 per litre for the C-heavy molasses-based ethanol. The Sangathana is also calling for a sugarcane rate of Rs 5,000 per tonne, including a Rs 500 per tonne government subsidy. Farmers anticipate losses due to the early crushing operations, as immature sugarcane has lower sugar content, leading to lower cane prices. Sugar mills located in districts along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border contribute nearly 50% of the nation's sugar production, according to Shetty.",
  "summary": "A quarter of Maharashtra's sugar mills will begin operations this week to alleviate sugar shortages before Diwali. Sugar prices have increased by approximately 4% recently due to dwindling supplies and farmer protests. Millers anticipate new sugar reaching markets after October 20, following crushing activities. Farmers are encouraging quicker harvesting of sugarcane due to crop conditions,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}