As the crushing season picks up speed, Punjab records a higher sugar recovery.

As the current crushing season picks up speed, Punjab has seen a discernible improvement in sugar recovery, with declining temperatures contributing to higher sucrose levels in sugarcane throughout the main producing regions.

In a number of regions, sugar recovery has increased to about 10%, which has helped millers and increased sugar production overall. Cane quality has significantly improved as a result of the decrease in nighttime temperatures, especially in the province’s southern areas.

Dr. Kashif Munir, Director of the Sugarcane Research Institute in Faisalabad, told Wealth Pakistan that the recent drop in nighttime temperatures to about 8 to 9 degrees Celsius has greatly enhanced the crop’s ability to accumulate sugar.

According to him, “lower temperatures cause the cane plant’s respiration to slow down, which allows more sucrose to accumulate and ultimately increases recovery at mills.”

According to him, the sugar recovery in central Punjab has also steadily improved, with most areas now seeing sugar recovery rates close to 9%. “More improvement in recovery levels is anticipated as the crushing season advances and temperatures continue to drop,” he continued.

Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions have the highest recovery rates, but central Punjab is also steadily improving, according to official data from the Punjab Cane Commissioner’s Office.

The strain on the market has started to lessen due to the rise in sugar production. Major markets, notably Lahore, have seen a drop in the price of sugar at wholesale and ex-mill levels.

Hafiz Zeeshan Ghafoori, a wholesale sugar dealer, told Wealth Pakistan that increased supply has contributed to market price stability. Retail prices currently range between Rs160 and Rs170 per kilogramme, he added. “With more sugar entering the market, prices are gradually easing, and retail rates are expected to come down further in the coming weeks,” he said.