Bumpy start to sugarcane crushing season in Maharashtra

About 54 sugar mills in Maharashtra have started out the 2021-22 crushing time and have crushed eighteen.35 lakh tonnes (lt) sugarcane to generate thirteen.32 lakh quintals of sugar by November 1.

Mills have documented a seven.26 per cent extract price.

Nevertheless, in accordance to studies numerous mills that have unsuccessful to pay back Fair and Remunerative Selling prices (FRP) to farmers for the cane crushed very last time are having difficulties to get crushing authorization from the Sugar Commissioner business. In the meantime, farmers’ organisations have threatened agitations demanding FRP in a single instalment.

Pune and Kolhapur areas, viewed as as the sugar bowl of the State, have documented that thirty mills have started out crushing operations. No sugar mill in the Nagpur area has started out crushing, whilst only one sugar mill in the Amravati area is operational. There are 31 cooperative and 23 sugar mills operational in the State as of November 1.

As per the Sugar Commissioner business information as on Oct 15, about 36 mills have to pay back ₹244.81 crore pending FRP to farmers and the Commissioner Office environment has now slapped RRC recognize to 33 mills. The all round FRP pending is about ₹321.41 crore. In accordance to resources, the mill administrators are insisting on authorization to start crushing time with out having to pay pending FRP. About 190 mills experienced taken part in the very last crushing time of which 154 mills have paid 100 per cent FRP.

FRP controversy proceeds

The Commission for Agriculture Charge and Selling prices (CACP), in its latest report on value coverage for sugarcane ( 2021-22 sugar time), advisable cane payment in instalments. Before, NITI Aayog has advisable that mills really should be allowed to stagger the payment for sugarcane — 60 per cent payment inside of 14 days of delivery of sugarcane to mills an additional twenty per cent inside of the up coming two months and stability twenty per cent inside of an additional one month (or on sale of sugar, whichever is earlier) so that the full dues are cleared inside of two months.

Previous MP and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti talking to media stated, “We experienced not agitated for the one-time FRP when sugar costs have been minimal in the sector. But now sector charges are higher and also mills are earning from by-products. Mills can unquestionably find the money for to pay back FRP in one instalment”. He additional that Shetkari Sanghatana will not allow for mills to work if a one-time FRP is not assured.