Pune: Flood and drought in Maharashtra have impacted the sugarcane crushing season in the state. It has also hampered the sugar production.
As per data from Maharashtra Sugar Commissionerate, overall 8 sugar mills, 3 in Ahmednagar and another 5 in Aurangabad District have closed their operations. This season overall 143 sugar mills participated in the crushing season.
The non-availability of labour for harvesting and less availability of sugarcane have upset the sugar mills. Also, sugar production in Maharashtra is down as the state had been gripped with drought and flood. Till 13th February, 390.82 lakh tonnes sugarcane was crushed and produced 423.42 lakh quintal sugar with the recovery rate of 10.83 per cent.
According to the experts, it is expected that most of the mills will finish crushing season in the upcoming 20 to 25 days. Also, the crushing season in Maharashtra commenced late this year. Sugar mills in Maharashtra officially kick-started sugarcane crushing season on November 22 after they got permission from state Governor BS Koshyari in the absence of a functional state government.
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