A record first month: India's mills crush their way to 8.45 lakh tonnes (845,000 tonnes) of sugar in October

India's sugar season has opened at a sprint. Mills produced a record 8.45 lakh tonnes (845,000 tonnes) of sugar in October, the first month of the 2026-27 season — more than eight times the 1 lakh tonne (100,000 tonnes) managed in October last year, according to the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories. Maharashtra led with 7.20 lakh tonnes (720,000 tonnes). The machinery explains the jump: 152 mills had started crushing, against just 31 a year ago, and together they processed 105.43 lakh tonnes (about 10.5 million tonnes) of sugarcane, up from 11.84 lakh tonnes (about 1.18 million tonnes). An early, fast start means cane is harvested at its sweetest and farmers are paid sooner.

SDG 2 · Zero hunger