LUCKNOW: Amid the growing buzz around sugar scarcity, UP CM Yogi Adityanath claimed that the state had a reserve of 28 lakh tonnes, enough to fulfil the state's demand for the next seven months.
The sugar shortage may be a reality in some parts of the country, but UP, the second-largest producer of sugar after Maharashtra, is capable of meeting the demand not only of UP but can also contribute to meeting the demand of the country.
“From October 15, we will again start the sugar mills and produce 90 lakh tonnes, that is 900 lakh quintals, through the sugar mills in our state. UP has such a large capacity,” he said.
His remarks come days after he said there was no sugar shortage in the state and directed officials to prevent hoarding, black marketing and misinformation about supplies.
While the state government and sugar mills insist there is no physical shortage in UP, the latter attribute the price spike largely to speculation and possible hoarding. The Centre’s recent decision to allow sugar imports, however, has fuelled speculation that supply tightness may exist elsewhere in the country.
According to Additional Chief Secretary, Sugar Industries, Cane Development and Excise, Veena Kumari Meena, contrary to the shortage claims, UP has surplus stocks that can easily meet the state’s consumption demand for January-February next year.
She said UP had even offered the Centre to take sugar stocks from the state to meet demand elsewhere, if required.
Meena claimed that UP alone can provide sugar stocks for two months to fulfil the country's demand.
She added that her worry was to exhaust existing stocks before the arrival of new stock, as the mills would start producing fresh sugar from October.
According to UP Sugar Mills Association General Secretary Deepak Guptara, the state consumes around 4 lakh tonnes of sugar a month, while stocks are sufficient to meet demand for five-six months. The association rejected reports of a physical shortage, saying its member mills have comfortable carry-over and running stocks.
Meena, who also holds the additional charge of cane commissioner, said the recent price rise appeared to have followed a possible disruption in the supply chain from Maharashtra to wholesalers. This, she said, may have triggered rumours of a sugar shortage across the country, subsequently influencing prices.
While there may be no immediate shortage, sugar production in UP has declined over the last couple of years. Production fell to 89.52 lakh tonnes in 2025-26 from 92.45 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 and 104.13 lakh tonnes in 2023-24. Cane crushing too dropped from 981.68 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 to 878.12 lakh tonnes in 2025-26.
The decline has coincided with a sharp rise in ethanol production – from 152.4 crore litres in 2023-24 to 225 crore litres in 2025-26.
However, ACS Meena said ethanol had not impacted sugar production, with the share of cane diverted for ethanol being only 8-9%. She rather attributed the decline in sugar production to lower average cane yield and cane diseases.