HYDERABAD: Sindh has recorded less sugarcane and sugar production in the 2024-25 season. The 2025-26 season is inching towards commencement of cane crushing. Besides, low sugarcane yield and sweetener production, sucrose recovery also remained lesser than it was reported in the 2023-24 season.

The figures collected by Dawn show that 16,404,673.911 tonnes of sugarcane was crushed in the 2024-25 season when 1,618,318.200 tonnes of sugar was produced. Sucrose recovery was recorded at 9.482pc.

However, when compared with the 2023-24 season when sucrose recovery had stood at 10.37pc with 2,022,780.92 tonnes of sugar production and 19,279,206.41 tonnes of cane was crushed.

This year so far, 0.268m hectares of sugarcane crop sowing was reported by agriculture department as per first estimate against a target of 0.29m hectares. In 2024-25, the statistics show, against target of 0.29m hectares the crop was sown on 0.285m hectares.

Govt, growers see crop disease, climate change impact and heatwave as major reasons

Heatwave, crop disease

Some progressive sugar cane growers, like Masroor Soomro from Dadu and Mahmood Nawaz Shah from Tando Allahyar, say that the lesser sugarcane production in 2024-25 season could be attributed to a severe heatwave and crop disease factors.

“I had to control the stem borer disease that hit my crop,” Soomro recalled, adding that it was on a massive scale. “The friends I had been coordinating with last year for crop assessment were telling me that sugarcane crop grown in Sakrand and beyond had reported the same disease problem,” he said.

Cane crushing figures

According to the 2024-25 cane crushing figures compiled by Sindh Cane Commissioner’s office, sugar mills located in Ghotki district came up with the highest numbers. Some are owned by politicians like Jehangir Tareen, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and Mahar brothers.

A sugarcane tonnage of 1,744,724.62 was crushed by the JK Sugar Mills, Ghotki, followed by 1,716,782.985 by JDW Sugar Mills, Ghotki; 1,340,374.480 by the Daharki Sugar Mills; 1,210,106.185 by Alliance Sugar Mills (Ubaro) Ghotki; and 1,016,236.43 by SGM Sugar Mills, Ghotki.

Another big tonnage of sugar cane was crushed by Habib Sugar Mills, Nawabshah, i.e. 839,004.804.

Out of 38 sugar mills in Sindh, 33 had undertaken cane crushing.

Growth of sugar industry and sucrose

Ghotki district has seen growth in sugar factories in the recent past. It was otherwise famous for cotton production. Sugarcane is grown in the riverine areas of upper Sindh as well by tycoons of the sugar industry.

Sindh’s cane usually has more sucrose content recovery than Punjab’s and in view of this recovery indicative, the notified price for the crop always remained a few rupees up from Punjab’s crop till fixing of sugar cane price had been done by government.

Only seven sugar mills have reported 10pc or above sucrose recovery. They included JK Sugar Mills (10.572pc); Mirpurkhas Sugar Mills (10.422pc); Mehran Sugar Mills, Tando Allahyar (10.22pc); Alliance Sugar Mills (10.2pc) Army Welfare Sugar Mills (10.168pc) and Matiari Sugar Mills (10pc).

Official view

According to the Agriculture Extension Director General, Munir Jumani, last season’s decline in crop and sugar production was mainly due to three factors — climate change, crop disease and shortage of water. “Farmers mostly prefer sugar cane which is a high delta crop and when the crop needs water, it remains unavailable to them due to a shortage in the Indus River system,” he said. Secondly, he said, an insect had hit the crop as well last year which impacted its growth. Above all, he added, it was the climate change-driven weather patterns that cast a negative impact on the crop.

Indicative price

Sindh government had last fixed sugar cane’s indicative price in 2023-24 at Rs425 per 40kg. In 2024-25 season, the rate was not notified by government as subsidy regime has been abolished.

The then agriculture secretary, Sohail Qureshi, had clarified in Jan 2025 that government would not fix the rate to meet certain IMF conditions. A rate of Rs500 to Rs550 was, however, paid to growers by millers last season.

Mahmood Nawaz Shah pointed out that crop production issue was faced by Punjab growers as well. “Besides heatwave in my area, drainage problem also affected the crop,” he said while alluding to August 2024 rainfall in lower Sindh region, where he grows cane. Failure to drain rainwater always affects crops, especially cotton.

A heavy spell of rain has already fallen in parts of Sindh during the ongoing monsoon which is considered as a positive sign for the crop.

Mahmood Shah also viewed the recent rainfall as a good omen for the sugar cane crop, which will be ready to harvest within the next two or three months. “Cane crop in my area is facing white fly attack, but rain always washes it out,” he said.

Mr Soomro also agreed with Mr Shah, saying this time stem borer problem remained under control. “The disease is indeed there, but it has been controlled through sprays this year,” he said. He hoped that the crop would be better this time.

Trading Corporation of Pakistan is said to have floated tenders for importing 200,000 tonnes of sweetener, according to a recent report. Earlier, a tender to import 100,000 tonnes of sugar was floated by the TCP.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2025