MAHOTAARI: Sugar production ratio from sugarcane has witnessed a decline this year compared to the previous year.

A total of 8.72 kg of sugar has been produced from one quintal of sugarcane in the current fiscal year. Last year, 9.11 kg of sugar was produced from the same amount of sugarcane, said Surendra Shukla, General Manager of Everest Sugar Industry located in Gaushala municipality-1.

The industry has crushed about four hundred thousand quintals less sugarcane than the target this year. The industry has crushed 3.1 million of sugarcane and produced 270,588 quintals of sugar. Last year, the industry had crushed 2.9 million quintals of sugarcane and produced 264,591 quintals of sugar.

Shukla said that the reason for the decrease in the ratio of sugar production from sugarcane this year is being investigated. Meanwhile, farmers say that the sugar production may have decreased due to lack of rain in the winter. Mahendra Mahato, a farmer from Pashupatinagar in Bardibas municipality-9, said that the production ratio may have decreased due to lack of favorable rains in the last monsoon as well.

This year the Everest Sugar industry had set a target of crushing 3.5 million quintals of sugarcane and producing 315,000 quintals of sugar. However, due to the shortage of sugarcane target is unlikely to be met, General Manager Shukla said.