Sugar Crisis Deepens As ISMA Director Deepak Ballani Flags MSP Hike And Ethanol Policy Risks

India’s sugar industry is facing mounting stress as rising input costs and weak policy support squeeze mill viability. The Indian Sugar & Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has urged the government to urgently revise the minimum support price of sugar to ₹40–41 per kg, citing a sharp rise in cane prices since 2019. ISMA Director, Deepak Ballani, has also flagged low ethanol allocation and stagnant ethanol prices, warning that underutilised distillery capacity could deepen industry losses. With farmer payments, ethanol blending targets and rural livelihoods at stake, the industry says immediate policy intervention is critical.