List of Top 5 Sugar Producing States in India in 2026
Sugar production in India is projected to 30.6 million tonnes in 2026, with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka among the top sugar producing states in India. Check the top 5 list here.
India is the second largest sugar producing country in the world with 30.6 million tonnes, only behind Brazil, and there are 5 states in India which contribute majorly to the volume with Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh leading the charts. Let us explore the top 5 sugar producing states in India.
Which state is the largest producer of Sugar in India?
Maharashtra is the largest producer of sugar in India for the year 2026, the total sugar produced by Maharashtra 9.92 million tonnes or 99.20 LMT or Lakh metric tonnes. It is followed closely by Uttar Pradesh at 8.92 million tonnes. The large amount of sugar production in Maharashtra can be attributed to it having the largest number of sugar mills ( around 210) in India.
Top 5 Sugar Producing States in India
The following is a list of the top 5 sugar producing state in India.
| State | Rank in 2026 | Primary Sugarcane Growing Region |
| Maharashtra | 1 | Western Maharashtra, Marathwada |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2 | Ganga-Yamuna Doab, Terai belt |
| Karnataka | 3 | Belagavi, Bagalkot, Mandya |
| Tamil Nadu | 4 | Cauvery Delta, Coimbatore, Salem |
| Gujarat | 5 | Surat, Navsari, Saurashtra |
On which factor does sugar production depend?
As per the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, sugar production refers to the refined sweetener that is obtained from sugarcane through extraction. The amount of sugar produced from sugarcane depends on the crop and the mill recovery rate.
Why Maharashtra leads the Sugar Production in India?
Mahrashtra is the leading sugar producer with a production volume of 99.20 LMT or 9.92 in the year 2026, it's favourable climate, powerful network of operators and high sugar recovery rates from mills make Maharashtra the state with largest sugar production.
Major sugarcane growing belts include Pune, Solapur, Ahmednagar, and Kolhapur. To put it in context of the overall sugar production in India which is 30.6 million tonnes, Maharashtra alone accounts for one-third of all sugar produced.
Why Uttar Pradesh is one of the top sugar producing states of India?
Uttar Pradesh or UP is a leading producer of sugar in India, and it is possible due to a large area under sugar cultivation in UP. The fertile soils of Ganga-Yamuna plains, perennial water supply through canal networks coupled with high yielding sugarcane varieties and rapid mill payments have kept the production capacity within the range of 10 million tonnes.
What is the Other major use of Sugarcane in India?
The sugarcane sector in India is shifting towards biofuel production to combat the rising oil prices due to the global conflict. Under the Ethanol Blending Programme, surplus sugarcane juice is getting converted into ethanol, protecting farmers from price drops while reducing national crude oil import bills. Around 3.4 million tonnes of sugarcane are used for producing ethanol in India.
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Mriganka Chakraborty is a seasoned digital journalist and communications professional who is currently working as Deputy Manager at Jagran Josh, where he leads the General Knowledge Section. As a subject matter expert with 8+ years of editorial experience, he has created authoritative content that is trusted by millions of readers around the world in Science, History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Sports, and Technology. His extensive expertise in these subjects enables him to present complex topics in an engaging, accurate, and reader-friendly manner to a global audience, making learning addictive and fun.
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