Pune: Eight mills in Maharashtra found selling excess sugar than the monthly sale quota fixed by Central government, informed the official from the state sugar commissionerate. They are likely to face action under the Essential Commodities Act.
The central government last year introduced the monthly sale quota for each mill to maintain demand and supply ratio and keep prices stable. The government also fixed the minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar at Rs 3,100 per quintal and had asked the mills to abide by the rule. However, the sugar commissioner’s office has received several complaints about mills selling sugar below the MSP.
Taking note of this, Sugar commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad ordered an audit of these mills to find if they were selling sugar below MSP. The sale audit has revealed none of them have actually undersold their stock but eight sugar mills have violated the allotted sale quota and have sold excess sugar.
Violation by such mills will be reported to Centre. Sugar commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said, “In addition to filing an FIR against the sugar factories selling sugar beyond the quota, we will approach central and state government to exclude such mills to avail soft loan scheme and to restrict aid for them.”
Senior officials from sugar commissioner’s office said they will issue show-cause notices to such mills.
Mills across Maharashtra are facing a severe liquidity crunch due to low sale and are in under pressure to clear pending cane arrears of sugarcane farmers.
Till the end of March, sugar mills in Maharashtra owe Rs 4,800 crores to cane growers.
