India sugar steady on firm spot demand, crushing

MUMBAI,(Reuters) - Indian sugar futures were steady on Wednesday afternoon, with good demand from bulk buyers in the spot market offset by the prospect of fresh supplies from large-scale cane crushing in most growing regions.

Prices in the spot market in western state of Maharashtra, country's top producer, rose 0.5 percent to 1,792 rupees.

"Millers are selling their old stocks to accommodate sugar from new season. Large-scale crushing has now begun in all parts of India," Lopa Sanghvi, an analyst in Anand Rathi Commodities Ltd, said.

A large number of sugar mills in the northern state of Uttar Paradesh, second top producer, started crushing from this week.