KARACHI, June 3: Sugar mills in the country together produced four million tons of sugar during the crushing season 2003-04, which showed 8.6 per cent higher output compared to 3.7 million tons of sugar produced in the previous season.

The fortnightly statement by the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) for the period up to May 15, released by the KSE on Wednesday, as one of the day's notices, showed that 1.8 million tons of the latest year's production had been lifted, while the sugar mills were left with 2.2 million tons in stock.

This including the previous year's balance of 65,000 tons, totalled to 2.2 million tons in stock at May 15. Production of sugar from Punjab stood highest among the provinces at 2.6 million tons.

The output was achieved by crushing 28.6 million tons of sugarcane at an average recovery percentage of 9.10 per cent. Sugar mills in Sindh produced 1.2 million tons of sugar by crushing 13.0 million tons of sugarcane at average recovery of 9.39 pre cent.

Of the 38 sugar mills located in Punjab, Hamza Sugar Mill led rest of the mills with production of 178,362 tons by crushing 1.7 million tons of sugarcane at average recovery of 10.4 per cent; the mill started crushing on Nov 14, 2003 and stopped crushing on April 7.

Shakerganj Mills followed with production of 136,813 tons through crushing of 1.6 million tons at sucrose recovery of 8.47 per cent. Crushing began on Nov 12 and lasted up to April 18.

JDW Sugar Mills, also in the Punjab, produced 124,843 tons of sugar at average recovery of 10.55 per cent, by crushing 1.2 million tons of sugarcane; the mill started crushing on Nov 15 and ended on April 25.

Among the 32 sugar mills in Sindh, three mills namely Dadu, Kiran and Thatta were non-operating while Bachani Sugar Mills was yet to be commissioned. Sugar production by mills in Sindh province was low with the highest output recorded by Habib Sugar Mills which produced 84,806 tons of sugar at average recovery of 9.25 per cent.

The mills crushed 0.91 million tons of sugarcane. It started crushing on Nov 30 and ended on April 10. Faran Sugar Mills, which produced 74,338 tons of sugar, by crushing 0.81 million tons of sugar cane at recovery of 9.19 per cent stood second.

It started crushing on Nov 30 and finished on April 9. Dewan Sugar Mills followed with output of 72,055 tons, by crushing 0.75 million tons of sugarcane at recovery of 9.65 per cent; Dewan began crushing on November 30 and ended on March 28.