CropGPT Sugar - India Weather - Feb 23rd

CropGPT - Sugar

Welcome to the February 23 2024 weather report for India's sugar fields.

In Maharashtra, the prominent sugarcane region is currently under the spell of warmer and drier than usual conditions, elevating its risk to the crops. The temperature here averages at 26.07 degrees over the past week, slightly above the historical norm of 24.92 degrees. This period is not as hot as 2016, which saw a peak of 26.47 degrees, but the notable absence of rain, mirroring the driest known period in 2020, emphasizes the heightened risk to sugarcane production.

Turning our attention to Uttar Pradesh, this region also faces a high risk to its sugarcane crop due to the prevailing extreme weather conditions. The area is experiencing a cooler week with an average temperature of 17.58 degrees, not quite as cold as the remarkable chill of 2014, but below the long-term average. Rainfall is significantly reduced, echoing the pattern of 2023, the driest recorded year, which underscores the pressing concern for adequate water supply to sustain the crop.

In Karnataka, the weather poses a significant risk to the sugarcane fields with an unusually high temperature and scarce rainfall. The average temperature this week has soared to 26.87 degrees, substantially higher than the usual, although not reaching the record high of 2010. The complete absence of rainfall this week further exacerbates the situation, mirroring the dry spell experienced in 2020 and necessitating vigilant monitoring of the crop’s conditions.

As for the remaining regions, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh show varied weather patterns, yet the deviations from the norm do not currently warrant intense scrutiny. Gujarat sees a reduction in rainfall and a temperature increase akin to the more at-risk regions. Tamil Nadu and Bihar display minor variances in weather conditions with lesser rainfall than is typical for this period, and Andhra Pradesh's significant drop in rainfall is counterbalanced by steady temperatures. Collectively, these observations indicate a broader trend of challenging weather conditions across India's sugarcane regions, meriting close monitoring in the weeks ahead to mitigate potential impacts on the sugar market.

As always, our CropGPT site contains more details and reports about the sugar market and this report contains just a few selected highlights.