Kolhapur: The excess rainfall in Western Maharashtra and drought in Marathwada has resulted in the reduction of the number of applications for cane crushing license. According to the reports, only 159 mills from cooperative as well as the private sector have applied for crushing license as against 195 sugar mills in sugar season 2018-2019. Media reports suggest that many mills applied for crushing licence out of political compulsions; therefore actual number may fall.
Sugar mills in the state for season 2019-20 may face difficulty in getting a crushing license. To ensure the early payment for sugarcane farmers, Maharashtra government has decided that sugar mills would be issued crushing licences only if they agree to pay fair and remunerative price (FRP) dues to cane growers within 14 days.
Flood in Pune, Sangli, Satara, Solapur and Kolhapur districts, the sugar belt of Maharashtra, have majorly hit the sugarcane crops, which will ultimately be going to impact the sugarcane production in Maharashtra. Also, farmers have uprooted sugarcane in the severely drought-affected regions of the state to feed their animals as other green fodders were not available. It will also likely to impact sugar output in Maharashtra.
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