Belgavi: Former minister Shashikant Naik has demanded that Hiranyakeshi Sugars in Sankeshwar clear the pending payments owed to farmers. According to Naik, the factory has withheld payments totalling Rs 86 crore over the past five months, reported The Times of India.
In a press release, Naik stated that Hiranyakeshi Sugars has outstanding arrears of Rs 86 crore to farmers who have supplied sugarcane since December.
With the sugarcane season starting again in June, farmers need funds for agricultural activities and to purchase seed fertilizer for sowing sugarcane. To prevent disruptions, the district administration has ordered the sugar industry to pay the arrears immediately.
Hiranyakeshi Sugars is currently overseen by former MP Ramesh Katti, the president of DCC Bank. Naik urged that a decision be made to pay the farmers’ dues as soon as possible.
“The sugar mill was set up by the late Appanagouda Patil. Despite having a track record of clearing cane dues in time, the mill has delayed dues this time. If the factory management doesn’t act soon, farmers are likely to protest,” he warned.
