MAHOTTARI: The sugar production ratio from sugarcane has dropped this year compared to the previous year.
This fiscal year, 8.72 kg of sugar has been produced per quintal of sugarcane, whereas last year, the figure stood at 9.11 kg, according to Surendra Shukla, General Manager of Everest Sugar Industry, located in Gaushala Municipality-1.
The industry also fell short of its crushing target by nearly 400,000 quintals. This year, it processed 3.1 million quintals of sugarcane, yielding 270,588 quintals of sugar.
In contrast, last year’s output was 264,591 quintals of sugar from 2.9 million quintals of sugarcane.
Shukla stated that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the decline in the sugar production ratio.
Meanwhile, farmers believe that insufficient rainfall may have contributed to the decrease.
Mahendra Mahato, a farmer from Pashupatinagar in Bardibas Municipality-9, suggested that the lack of winter rainfall and unfavorable monsoon conditions may have affected sugarcane yields.
The Everest Sugar Industry had aimed to crush 3.5 million quintals of sugarcane and produce 315,000 quintals of sugar this year.
However, a shortage of sugarcane has made it unlikely that the target will be met, Shukla added.
Comment