ChiniMandi, Ahmednagar: Upto Rs 343 crore cane dues, under Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), by 17 co-operative and private sugar mills in Ahmednagar is unpaid. The law mandates, FRP payment to farmers within 14 days of crushing commencement, but millers failed to pay it.
On the other hand, five mills in the district i.e. Dyanweshwar, Mula, Karmavir Kale, Sahakar Maharshi Thorat and Sanjivani have managed to pay 100 per cent FRP amount. Following which question raised, why other mills are unable to do so.
Due to the decline in global sugar prices, low demand in domestic market and no increment in minimum selling prices, millers are finding it difficult to clear FRP payment, and 188 mills in the state mounted FRP dues over Rs 3,557 crore.
It has been more than two months since the crushing season commenced, but still few mills are yet to pay the single installment of FRP, due to which sugarcane farmers are in crisis.
During the severe drought in a state, farmers association launched an agitation to increase FRP amount by Rs 200, but as farmers have not received even their first installments, associations are hush over the issue.
Dr. Vikhe Patil sugar mill has paid only three per cent of FRP amount and is due to pay over Rs 66 crore, maximum amount by any mill in the district. Ambalika sugar mill has an outstanding amount of over Rs 61 crore and paid 56 per cent FRP so far.
FRP dues of the following mills are as follows:
Kukadi: Rs 41 crore 80 lakh, Sai Krupa: 22 crore 33 lakh 98 thousand, Gangamai: 21 crore 35 lakh 69 thousand, Dr. Tanpure: 21 crore 85 lakh 16 thousand, Kedareshwar: 17 crore 71 lakh 58 thousand, Agasthi: 7 crore 34 lakh 23 thousand, Ashok: 5 crore 1 lakh 85 thousand, Ganesh: 13 crore 85 lakh 2 thousand, Sahakar Maharshi Nagavde: 7 crore 45 lakh 1 thousand, Vrudheshwar: 1 crore 75 lakh 29 thousand, Priyush: 7 crore 9 lakh 37 thousand, Prasad Sugar: 9 crore 80 lakh 93 thousand, Jay Shriram: 14 crore 55 lakh 75 thousand
Crushing till date
During this crushing season, till date, up to 64 lakh metric tonnes (MT) sugarcane has been crushed, and around 66 lakh quintal of sugar produced. Recovery rate is declared at 10.31 per cent.
