📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Kuldeepburjbhalaike
Agriculture
Punjab sugarcane output falls 7.7% in six years, production hits 6.91 million tonnes
✍️ Amar Ujala · Punjab
🗓 24 Aug 2026, 09:37 AM
👁 2
Punjab's sugarcane harvest has slipped to 6.91 million tonnes, a 7.74% decline over six years, while sugar prices have risen sharply.
Punjab's agricultural department reports that the state’s sugarcane production has dropped to 6.91 million tonnes this season, marking a 7.74% reduction compared with six years ago. The decline is the steepest in the last half‑decade and follows a steady downward trend in output.
At the same time, market data show a noticeable surge in sugar prices across the region, with traders citing tighter supplies as the primary driver. The price rally has raised concerns among manufacturers and consumers alike, given the state's reliance on sugarcane for both domestic consumption and export.
Experts point to a combination of factors behind the falling harvest, including erratic monsoon patterns, rising input costs, and a shift among some farmers toward more lucrative crops such as wheat and maize. The reduced yield could pressure the state's sugar mills, potentially leading to lower processing volumes and further price volatility.
At the same time, market data show a noticeable surge in sugar prices across the region, with traders citing tighter supplies as the primary driver. The price rally has raised concerns among manufacturers and consumers alike, given the state's reliance on sugarcane for both domestic consumption and export.
Experts point to a combination of factors behind the falling harvest, including erratic monsoon patterns, rising input costs, and a shift among some farmers toward more lucrative crops such as wheat and maize. The reduced yield could pressure the state's sugar mills, potentially leading to lower processing volumes and further price volatility.