Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has said that India’s sugar production rose 10.49% to 26.21 million tonne as of March 15 in the ongoing 2025-26 marketing year as compared to 23.72 million tonne in the year-ago period. 

The sugar output so far has exceeded the total net production of 26.12 million tonne in the full 2024-25 marketing year (October-September). The crushing was underway as 157 mills were in operation as on March 15, while 379 mills remained closed.

As per the industry data, sugar production in Maharashtra, the country's largest producing state, rose to 9.84 million tonne as of March 15 of the 2025-26 marketing year, from 7.87 million tonne in the year-ago. Production in Uttar Pradesh, the country's second largest sugar producing state, stood at 8.13 million tonne, while that in Karnataka it was 4.60 million tonne in the said period. ISMA said that some mills in south Karnataka are expected to resume operations during the special season from June/July to September 2026.