India's industry body cuts 2016/17 sugar output forecast by 5%

India's industry body cuts 2016/17 sugar output forecast by 5%

India will produce 20.3 million tonnes of sugar in the year to September 2017, a leading(अग्रणी) industry body said on Tuesday, 5 percent lower than a previous forecast. Lower sugar output in India, the world's biggest producer behind Brazil, could exacerbate (उत्तेजित होना) shortages and further push up prices of the sweetener. Sugar output would fall after two straight droughts(सूखा)  ravaged(तबाह हुआ)  cane (गन्ना) crops in states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Indian Sugar Mills Association said. Since sugar is the cheapest source of energy for India's millions of poor, any spike in prices sparks anger and draws criticism. Indians, known for their penchant for anything sweet, consume about 25 million tonnes of sugar a year.

Definitions of lead अग्रणी

adjective

most important.

a number of leading politicians

synonyms: main, chief, major, prime, most significant, most important, principal, foremost, key, central, focal, preeminent, paramount, dominant, essential; most important, most powerful, affluential, foremost, chief, preeminent, outstanding, dominant, most influential

noun

guidance or leadership, especially in a spiritual context.

Things can be learned in many ways (spiritual leading is one way you pointed).

verb

cause (a person or animal) to go with one by holding them by the hand, a halter, a rope, etc., while moving forward.

she emerged leading a bay horse

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Definitions of exacerbate उत्तेजित होना

verb

make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse.

the forest fire was exacerbated by the lack of rain

synonyms: aggravate, worsen, inflame, compound, intensify, increase, heighten, magnify, add to, amplify, augment, add fuel to the fire/flames