A record 217 sugar mills in Maharashtra have applied for licenses to operate in the upcoming sugarcane crushing season of 2023-24, despite a drought-like situation, reported The Indian Express.
This surge in applications comes despite an expected sugarcane shortage for crushing.
According to estimates provided by Maharashtra’s sugar commissioner, the state is set to have 921 lakh tonnes (Lt) of cane available for crushing this season. This figure is less than the 1,022 lakh tonnes available during the 2022-23 season when 211 mills operated for 121 days.
A miller from Ahmednagar commented, “Obviously, an increased number of mills would exert more pressure on the available cane resources.”
In the Solapur division, which encompasses the districts of Solapur and Dharashiv (Osmanabad), 51 mills have applied for crushing licenses. These districts have experienced below-average rainfall, leading farmers to divert their cane for fodder.
