Mangaluru: Ethanol production has paved a way for sugar mills to increase their income and overcome financial stress. The sugar mills in the country have earned revenue over Rs 35,000 crore from selling ethanol to the oil marketing companies in the last four seasons. The information was tabled by Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said, “In past four sugar seasons 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21; about Rs. 35,000 crore revenue has been generated by sugar mills/distilleries from sale of ethanol to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) which has helped in clearing cane price arrears of farmers.”
She further added, “The Central Government, with a view to facilitate export of sugar thereby improving liquidity of sugar mills enabling them to clear cane price arrears of farmers has extended assistance to sugar mills in sugar seasons 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. An amount of approximately ₹12900crore has been released to various sugar mills on account of assistance to facilitate export of sugar since sugar season 2015-16.”
