India's October sugar production jumps 745% on early Maharashtra crushing

India's ​sugar production surged 745% ​in October ‌from a ​year earlier as mills in the western state of ‌Maharashtra began crushing cane earlier than usual to boost supplies during the festive season, a ‌leading industry body said on Monday. Sugar output rose ‌to 845,000 metric tons during the month from 100,000 tons a year earlier, the National Federation ⁠of Cooperative ​Sugar Factories ⁠said in a statement.

Maharashtra, the country's leading sugar-producing ⁠state, produced 720,000 tons of sugar in October, ​compared with no output a year earlier, as ⁠123 mills began crushing cane earlier than usual, ⁠the ​industry body said. Sugar prices have rallied in India amid tight supplies, prompting New ⁠Delhi to allow duty-free imports of 1 million metric ⁠tons ⁠of sugar and urge mills to begin crushing cane earlier than ‌usual.