A Comprehensive Analysis of Production Trends (2018-24)

India’s sugarcane sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth over the past six years, with production rising from 405.42 million tonnes in 2018-19 to an estimated 446.43 million tonnes in 2023-24—representing a 10.1% increase. The cultivated area expanded from 50.61 lakh hectares to 56.48 lakh hectares, marking an 11.6% growth. This analysis of state-wise data reveals fascinating patterns in area expansion, production dynamics, and yield optimization across the country’s major sugarcane-producing regions.

Uttar Pradesh: The Undisputed Leader

Uttar Pradesh continues to dominate India’s sugarcane landscape, contributing 44.67% of the country’s total production based on the five-year average (2018-19 to 2022-23). The state’s sugarcane area has shown impressive expansion of 13.7%, growing from 22.24 lakh hectares in 2018-19 to 25.28 lakh hectares in 2023-24, with a notable spike to 27.95 lakh hectares in 2022-23. This expansion has translated into substantial production increases, with output jumping from 179.71 million tonnes to 205.63 million tonnes—a remarkable 14.4% growth over the period.

What makes Uttar Pradesh’s performance particularly noteworthy is its consistent yield maintenance, ranging from 80.24 to 82.30 tonnes per hectare with an average of 81.23 tonnes per hectare, despite massive scale expansion. The state achieved its highest yield of 82.30 tonnes per hectare in 2021-22. This consistency suggests effective agricultural practices and infrastructure development across the state’s sugarcane belt.

Maharashtra: The Efficiency Champion

Maharashtra, ranking second in both area (22.47% share) and production (23.79% share), presents a compelling story of recovery and optimization. After experiencing a significant dip in 2019-20 with area falling to 8.22 lakh hectares (a 29.3% decline from 2018-19), the state has steadily rebuilt its sugarcane acreage to 14.00 lakh hectares by 2023-24—recovering to 20.3% above 2018-19 levels.

More impressively, Maharashtra has achieved substantial yield improvements, with productivity rising from 77.20 tonnes per hectare in 2018-19 to a peak of 92.00 tonnes per hectare in 2021-22, before moderating to 74.75 tonnes per hectare in 2023-24. The five-year average yield of 86.72 tonnes per hectare ranks Maharashtra third nationally. Production recovered from a low of 69.31 million tonnes in 2019-20 to 105.99 million tonnes in 2023-24, representing an 18.1% increase over 2018-19 levels.

Karnataka: The Consistent Performer

Karnataka has emerged as a reliable third-ranking state, maintaining steady growth in both area (from 4.71 to 6.26 lakh hectares—a 32.9% increase) and production (from 42.41 to 53.20 million tonnes—a 25.4% growth). The state commands 10.32% of national area and 11.55% of production share. Karnataka’s impressive yield performance, consistently ranking second nationally with yields ranging from 85.00 to 96.00 tonnes per hectare and a five-year average of 92.00 tonnes per hectare, reflects its advanced agricultural techniques and favorable agro-climatic conditions. The state achieved its peak yield of 96.00 tonnes per hectare in 2021-22.

Tamil Nadu: The Yield Champion

Despite being smaller in absolute terms with only 2.85% of national area, Tamil Nadu commands attention for its exceptional productivity, contributing 3.70% of national production. The state consistently achieves the highest yields in the country, with a remarkable five-year average of 106.73 tonnes per hectare. Yields have ranged from 102.73 tonnes per hectare (2020-21) to a peak of 111.08 tonnes per hectare (2022-23). This exceptional efficiency—approximately 30% higher than the national average—allows Tamil Nadu to rank fourth in national production while cultivating area ranging from 1.25 to 1.66 lakh hectares. Production has remained relatively stable between 12.80 and 17.66 million tonnes, with an average of 15.58 million tonnes.

Tamil Nadu’s success stems from its well-developed irrigation infrastructure, research-backed farming practices, and strong extension services. The state’s ability to maintain yields above 100 tonnes per hectare even during challenging years demonstrates the potential for intensive sugarcane cultivation.

Regional Variations and Challenges

The data reveals significant regional disparities in performance. While southern states like Tamil Nadu (106.73 tonnes/hectare) and Karnataka (92.00 tonnes/hectare) achieve superior yields, northern states face productivity challenges. Bihar, despite maintaining 4.26% of national area (2.18 lakh hectares average), shows highly volatile yields ranging from a low of 48.92 tonnes per hectare (2020-21) to 89.01 tonnes per hectare (2018-19), with a concerning five-year average of only 63.23 tonnes per hectare—23% below the national average. This volatility has impacted production, which declined from 20.12 million tonnes in 2018-19 to 11.39 million tonnes in 2023-24.

Madhya Pradesh shows a more encouraging trajectory, with yields improving from 48.90 tonnes per hectare in 2018-19 to 70.04 tonnes per hectare in both 2022-23 and 2023-24, though still ranking 13th nationally with a five-year average of 57.94 tonnes per hectare. The state’s area has remained relatively stable around 1.06 lakh hectares average, while production has grown from 5.28 to 7.14 million tonnes.

Growth Trajectory and Market Dynamics

The overall trend shows robust growth in India’s sugarcane sector. Total area under cultivation has expanded from 50.61 lakh hectares to 56.48 lakh hectares, while production has grown by over 10% during this period. The national average yield has remained relatively stable around 80-84 tonnes per hectare, indicating balanced growth between area expansion and productivity improvement.

The 2022-23 season marked a peak with 58.85 lakh hectares under cultivation and 490.53 million tonnes of production, though 2023-24 estimates show a slight moderation, likely due to weather variations and market adjustments.

Future Implications

This comprehensive analysis reveals India’s sugarcane sector’s strength lies in its diversity and adaptability. While Uttar Pradesh provides volume and stability, states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu demonstrate the potential for efficiency improvements. The varying performance across states also highlights opportunities for knowledge transfer and best practice adoption.

For policymakers, the data suggests focusing on yield improvement in lagging states while supporting infrastructure development in high-performing regions. The consistent growth trajectory positions India’s sugarcane sector as a crucial component of the agricultural economy, supporting millions of farmers and feeding the country’s substantial sugar and ethanol industries.

As India continues to emphasize biofuel production and sustainable agriculture, the sugarcane sector’s performance will remain central to achieving these national objectives while ensuring farmer prosperity and food security.

(Writer Dilip Patil is Co-Chairperson of Indian Federation of Green Energy and rtd MD of Samarth Sugar)

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