Sugar imports likely as farms turn vineyards

MUMBAI: Maharashtra''s sugar belt is fast turning into wine country. Over the last two years sugar production in the state—which has the largest output in the country—has halved from 62.21 lakh tonnes to 32 lakh tonnes.
A further drop is anticipated. One sugar-mill owner told TOI that the state''s 2004-''05 sugar production may just about touch 18 lakh tonnes.
With sugar production in Uttar Pradesh—the other heavyweight—also falling by ten lakh tonnes, and with consumption expected to rise, it appears as if the import of sugar is inevitable.
India last imported sugar in 2001, and in fact exported 1.8 million tonnes in 2002-''03. In Maharashtra, this drastic drop can be attributed to several factors, cane growers told TOI.
Poor rainfall, falling prices, a pest infection last year and the use of sugarcane as fodder for cattle forced many cane farmers to shift to more lucrative crops like grapes.
As a result, cane cultivation has more than halved in the last four years.