An Analysis of Indian Sugar Exports: Markov Chain Approach

Abstract

India, the world's leading producer and exporter of sugar, plays a crucial role in the food industry due to sugar's sweet flavour and its multifaceted applications as a sweetener, preservative, texture enhancer, colouring agent, flavouring agent, and bulking agent. In the year 2020- 21 India exported an impressive 70 lakh tonnes of sugar, following 59 lakh tonnes in 2019- 20. India's sugar exports reach as many as 121 countries, with Sudan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Somalia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Iran being some of the most consistent importers.  The present study discusses the above approach envisaging the above analysis of Indian sugar exports to different countries from 2001-02 to 2020-21 employed Markov chain analysis, the results unveiled that Sudan retained the lion's share at 89.4% of India's sugar exports, followed by Myanmar at 57.3%, Somalia at 55.8%, Iran at 48%, the United Arab Emirates at 36.6%, Sri Lanka at 28.2%, Bangladesh at 10.7%, Pakistan at 5.4%, with the remaining 56.2% distributed among various other nations. Notably, India maintained loyal sugar exporters in Sudan, Myanmar, Somalia, Iran, the UAE, and Sri Lanka.