1. Opening Hook
Just when sugar companies thought ethanol would be their knight in shining armour, policy reality showed up with a cane stick. EID Parry’s Q2 concall felt like a masterclass in macro frustration—global surplus, soft prices, rising cane costs, and policymakers playing hard to get.
Yet, management didn’t panic. Instead, they calmly laid out why FY26 will be less about profits sprinting and more about survival jogging. Sugar looks oversupplied, ethanol looks capped, and consumer foods—ironically—are expected to do the heavy lifting.
This wasn’t a “wow” concall. It was a “brace yourself” concall. And honestly, those are sometimes more useful.
Stick around—because beneath the sugar rush and ethanol blues, Parry is quietly reshaping its long-term playbook.
2. At a Glance
- Sugar prices ₹41/kg – Sweet on paper, bitter after costs.
- Global surplus 2.23 MMT – Too much sugar, too little joy.
- Ethanol utilization ~90% – Capacity full, pricing not.
- Consumer biz -30% YoY – Dal prices crashed harder than crypto.
- Refinery EBITDA doubled – Finally, something behaved well.
3. Management’s Key Commentary
“Global sugar market is projected to remain in mild surplus.”
(Translation: Prices won’t listen to your Excel models 😏)
“India’s sugar output may rise 15% in SY26.”
(Oversupply says hello, margins say goodbye)
“Closing
stocks could rise to 8 MMT.”
(Warehouses will be fuller than investor patience)
“Industry is actively representing to policymakers.”
(Daily ritual: emails, meetings, and hope 🙏)
“Karnataka announced ₹50/MT extra cane price.”
(Because sugar mills clearly weren’t stressed enough 😬)
“We don’t give forward guidance.”
(Especially when policy roulette is spinning 🎰)
4. Numbers Decoded
| Segment | Q2 FY26 Performance | What It Really Means |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | ₹368 cr revenue | Flat topline, cost pressure rising |
| Consumer Products | ₹169 cr (-30% YoY) | Pulses prices nuked realizations |
| Distillery | ₹292 cr revenue | Volumes stable, margins squeezed |
| Co-gen | ₹12 cr revenue | Less crushing = less power |
| Refinery | EBITDA ₹58 cr | Star performer this quarter |
| Net Debt | NIL long-term | Balance sheet behaving well |
Sugar steady, ethanol strained, FMCG temporarily embarrassed.
5. Analyst Questions
- Is sugar oversupply a real threat?
Management: Yes—and it’s not a short-term problem. - Will ethanol capacity stay underutilized?
Answer: Grain-based players hurt more; Parry will manage via ENA. - Is consumer business the growth engine now?
