Maharashtra government has urged the Centre that the provision of minimum distance criteria in the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, should also be applied to the standalone distilleries. The state has proposed that the minimum distance criteria should not be relaxed or altered for the existing as well as new standalone distilleries.
Deputy Secretary, Government of Maharashtra in a letter sent to Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution (DFPD), said, “With reference to your office letter dated 9.9.2021, I am directed to inform you that, in Maharashtra, total 195 Sugar factories (Co-operative & Private) are operational. Average crushing days in the last 5 crushing seasons are ranging between 120 to 130 days. The daily installed crushing capacity of sugar factories in Maharashtra are approximately 8.0 LMT. If we consider 160 normal crushing days for a season, then requirement of sugarcane is 1360 LMT. However, highest crushing in Maharashtra is 1014 LMT. That is because same sugar factories of the Maharashtra State are underperforming.”
“Along with distilleries of co-opérative and private sugar factories, 35 standalone distilleries are in the state producing Rectified Spirit or ethanol. Thèse standalone distilleries can get ample supply of B-heavy molasses as well as sugarcane juice or sugar syrup as Government of India has given permission to sugar factories to sell it. Also, Sugar factories or distilleries require huge Investment for erection. The Maharashtra State Sugar factories Co-opérative federation Ltd, Mumbai (Sakhar Sangh) and West Indian Sugar Mills Association (WISMA) are of the opinion, that provision of minimum distance criteria in the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, should be applied to these standalone distilleries as well,” the letter further added.
To read the letter, click here
