Sugar production by private and cooperative mills registered an impressive 177 per cent growth in June at 2.64 lakh tonnes as compared to 0.95 lakh tonnes during the same period last year, Indian Sugar Mills Association and National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories said in a joint statement here.

The country had produced only 126.62 lakh tonnes of sugar during the first nine months of 1197-98 sugar season, the statement added. Sugar despatches from factories during the month 0of June rose marginally to 12.84 lakh tonnes (including 0.99 lalh tonnes of imported sugar) for internal consumption as against 12.43 lakh tonnes (including 32,000 tonnes of imported sugar) for internal consumption and 16,000 tonnes for exports during the year-ago period.

Total off-take of the commodity till June stood at 112.14 lakh tonnes (including seven lakh tonnes of imported sugar) for domestic consumption and 10,000 tonnes for exports.

Sugar offtake in June last year was marginally lower at 111.02 lakh tonnes (including 5.16 lakh tonnes of imported sugar) for internal consumption and 51,000 for exports.

The closing stock of sugar as on June 30, 1999 was up at 101.06 lakh tonnes as compared to 86.67 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period last year, the statement said.

Sugar production has risen to 2.64 lakh tonnes in June against 0.95 lakh tonnes in the same month the previous year. With this, the total production went up to 152.11 lakh tonnes during the the first nine months of 1998-99 as against 126.62 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period of the last season, according to a joint communique.