Haryana Cooperative and Tourism Minister Dr Arvind Sharma launched the 49th crushing season of the Karnal Cooperative Sugar Mill on Tuesday with a traditional havan-yajna ceremony. Following the rituals, Dr Sharma marked the start of operations by feeding sugarcane into the crushing machine, reports Tribune India.
Addressing the gathered farmers, Dr. Sharma assured them of timely payments and smooth operations at the mill. He highlighted Haryana’s distinction in offering the highest sugarcane prices in the country and celebrated the cultivation of sugarcane across 232 villages in the district.
“The sugar mill is profitable today due to the combined efforts of farmers and the administration, and it has already earned three awards,” he said. He linked the mill’s success to the larger goal of realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047. Dr Sharma also commended Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for their contributions to the state’s progress.
In a nod to employment efforts, Dr Sharma shared that the government recently provided appointment letters to 26,000 youths and abolished the kharchi-parchi system, ensuring merit-based job placements. He announced plans to offer jobs to two lakh more youths shortly.
Chairman of Haryana Sugarfed, Dharamveer Dagar, revealed the mill’s ambitious target for the season: crushing 50 lakh quintals of sugarcane with a recovery rate of 10.01%. Last season, the mill processed 49.34 lakh quintals of sugarcane, producing 4.90 lakh quintals of sugar with a recovery rate of 9.95%.
Dagar praised farmers for their contributions and urged them to deliver clean sugarcane to improve recovery rates. He highlighted the efficiency brought by the online token system, which has saved farmers considerable time. Sugarcane cultivation in the area spans 22,658 acres, with 71% of the crop being early-maturing varieties.
The Karnal Sugar Mill has received 21 awards for excellence in sugarcane recovery and development. During the event, three farmers—Krishna from Khirajpur, Netrapal from Dilwara, and Sohan Lal from Chorpura—were honoured for their contributions.
The mill’s managing director, Hitendra Kumar, welcomed Dr. Sharma and highlighted the mill’s achievements, while Rajpal Lather expressed gratitude to the farmers and dignitaries in attendance.
The event underscored the collaborative efforts of the state government, farmers, and mill administration in driving growth and efficiency in Haryana’s sugar industry.
